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TWO  WOMEN  IN 
THE  KLONDIKE 

The  Story  of  a  Journey  to  the 
Gokl-Fields  of  Alaska 


BY 

MARY   E.  HITCHCOCK 


With    lo;   Illustrations  and  Map 


G.  P.  Putnam's  Sons 

New   York  and    London 
Xlbe  •ffoiicUerbocKcr  press 

1899 


CuPVRIGHT,    lSg9 
BV 

MARY  E.  HITCHCOCK 
Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 


Ube  'Rnfcftcibockcir  pices,  mew  Borl! 


To 

MRS.   ELISHA  DYER 

THIS   VOLUME   IS    LOVINGLY    AND    GRATEFULLY   DEDICATED 

BY' 

The  Author 


NOTE 

'  I  ""HE  author  hereby  expresses  her  cordial  acknowledgment 
*  to  all  those  from  whom  she  has  received  assistance  by 
the  contribution  either  of  stories  or  of  photographs,  which 
she  has  recorded  in  her  journal  or  has  utilised  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  her  volume. 

Special  thanks  are  due  to  Miss  Edith  M.  Van  Buren  for 
certain  facts  and  stories,  and  for  a  number  of  photographs  ; 
also  to  Dr.  Dow,  Mr.  Arthur  D.  Spiess,  Mr.  Von  Millengen, 
Dr.  DeCow,  and  Mr.  E.  A.  Hegg,  for  their  kindness  in  per- 
mitting the  reproduction  of  photographs  belonging  to  them. 

New  York,  May  i,  1S99. 


THE  story  of  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike,  written  by 
Mrs.  Roswell  D.  Hitchcock,  who  with  her  friend  Miss 
Edith  Van  Buren,  braved  all  the  hardships  and  dangers  of  a 
journey  to  the  Klondike  and  all  the  discomforts  of  a  life 
along  the  very  skirmish  line  of  civilization  where  the  turn 
ing  of  a  spade  has  oftentimes  led  to  the  discovery  of  a  for- 
tune, cannot  fail  to  be  most  interesting  and  most  instructive. 

Mrs.  Hitchcock  is  the  widow  of  the  late  Commander  Ros- 
well D.  Hitchcock,  of  the  U.  S.  Nav}-,  who  was  the  son  of 
Professor  Roswell  D.  Hitchcock,  for  many  years  President 
of  the  Union  Theological  Seminar}-,  New  York.  Mrs. 
Hitchcock  herself  is  descended  from  Lord  FitzGerald.  Her 
grandfather  and  father  were  born  in  Norfolk,  Virginia,  where 
many  of  her  relatives  now  live  and  wliere  the  old  family 
mansion  is  still  a  landmark,  although  it  has  passed  into 
other  hands.  Miss  Van  Buren  is  a  grand-niece  of  President 
Van  Buren  and  daughter  of  General  Van  Buren.  who  was 
United  States  Consul-General  to  Japan  in  the  eighties. 

The  two  travellers  were  born  and  reared  in  luxury'  and 
refinement  and  the  narrative  of  their  daily  life  in  that  terri- 
ble Wonderland  of  the  North  is  of  itself  not  onh-  a  tiibute  to 
their  own  perseverance  and  determination,  but  to  the  char- 
acter of  intelligent  and  fearless  Anglo-Saxon  women,  who, 
among  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men,  never  fail  to  secure 

protection  and  respect. 

Elisha  Dyer. 
Providence,  Rhode  Isi..\nd, 
April  II,  1S99. 


CONTENTS. 


I. — Ho  FOR  THE  Land  of  Gold  ! 
II. — "With  Malice  Towards  None" 
III.— Land  in  Sight  !     . 
IV.— St.  Michaels 
V. — A  Trial  of  Patience  . 
VI.— We  Meet  Old  Friends 
VII.— Transferred  at  Last 
VIII.— We  Hear  the  Signal 
IX. — Up  the  Yukon 
X. — Discomfort  of  Barge  Life 
XL— Nearing  our  Destination 
XIL — The  Promised  Land    . 
XIIL— We  Become  Squatters 
XIV.— The  "Sick  Boy"  . 
XV. — Our  First  Dinner  in  Dawson 
XVI.— We  Become  "Free  Miners" 
XVII. — Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King 
XVIIL— Our  Man  Friday 
XIX. — Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible 
XX. — Our  Helpful  Neighbours 
XXL— .\  New  Scheme     . 
XXII. —The  "  Rideout  "  at  Last 
XXIIL— Trials  of  Building 


PAGE 

I 

5 

12 
25 
31 
3S 

4S 

54 
70 
82 
91 
99 
"3 
122 

13+ 

167 

193 
205 
222 
241 
261 
280 


X  Contents 

CHAI'TF.R  I'ACE 

XXIV.— Business  Propositions 303 

XXV. — A  New  Experience 327 

XXVI.— In  the  New  Home  at  Last 349 

XXVII. — A  Series  of  Disappointments        ....  3S1 

XXVIII.— Adieu  to  Dawson 396 

XXIX. — The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "        .        .        .  411 

XXX.— The  First  Portage 431 

XXXI.— The  Skaguay  Pass 439 

XXXII.— .\  Day  in  Sitka 460 

XXXIII.— Jake  and  his  Rival 466 

XXXIV. — Farewell  to  Al.\ska 472 


LIST  OF   ILLUSTRATIONS. 


On  Board  the  St.  Paul' Frontispiece 

Colonel  B.  and  his  Fiddle  ' S 

"I    KNOWED   I    COULD   PLAY   'EM   ALL   DOWN"    '             ...  II 

Unal.^ska  ' 13 

E.xTiNCT  Volcano  in  Unalaska  ' 16 

The  Cemetery 17 

.A.  K.AYAK  or  Native  Boat 19 

Unhappy  but  Resigned 20 

"Ten  O'clock  and  the  Sun  was  Setting"          ...  23 

No^-EL  JIosouiTo  Screens  ' 26 

Ox  Board  the  St.  Paul  ' 29 

Cloud  Effects  at  Midnight  ' 35 

-AL-askan  Indi.\ns  in  Kayaks 41 

Successful  Miners  Returning  Home 44 

The  Wheeling 49 

Taking  on  Wood  on  the  Yukon 63 

Drying  Salmon  on  the  Lower  Yukon 65 

Scow  ON  the  Y'ukon 72 

Raft  on  the  Yukon 75 

Protected  from  Mosquitoes 8i 

Horses  Swimming  the  Yukon  -' 83 

S.\LTING  THE  PAN g4 

A  Lesson  in  PAN^^NG  out  Gold 95 

E 's  First  Pan 97 

WELCOMING  A  River  Steamer  in  Dawson  '  .        .        .        .101 

'  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Dr.  Dow. 

^  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Arthur  D.  Spiess. 


xii  List  of  Illustrations 

PAGE 

Log  Cabins  at  Dawson  ' 103 

Monte  Carlo  Theatre,  Front  Street,  Dawson  '      ,        .105 

Canadian  Bank  of  Commerce,  Dawson        ....  108 

View  on  the  Shore  of  the  Yukon 110 

West  Dawson  Showing  "The  Big  Tent"  '  .        .        .        .111 

P.\CK  Dogs 117 

A  Sleeping-Bag* 119 

The  Big  Tent 123 

A  Goat  Team  ■'' 131 

Newspaper  Vendors^ 135 

Main  Street,  D.\wson,  Looking  North'       ....  139 

A  D.\wsoN  Hotel ■.        .  142 

Front  Street,  Dawson  '■' 145 

Arrival   of   Seattle    No.    i    at    D.wvson    City.     Photo- 
graphed AT  Midnight  ^ 149 

Indian  Woman  of  the  Klondike 155 

Miners  Selling  Outfits'' 159 

Off  for  El  Dorado  ' 169 

Crossing  the  Ferry 170 

Our  Tent  on  the  Trail 172 

A  Sluice-box  in  Operation 175 

One  Pan  in  a  Rich  Mine 177 

Awaiting  the  Result  of  a  Clean-up 179 

The  Result  of  a  Clean-up iSi 

Clean-up  on  the  B Mine 1S3 

Returning  from  a  Clean-up 1S9 

Dinner  to  a  Klondike  King 195 

A  Vegetable  Garden  in  the  Klondike       ....  200 

A  Corner  of  the  Tent  '^ 207 

Water  Front,  Dawson  ' 213 

Our  Helpful  Neighbours 219 

Northwest  Mounted  Police,  D.wvson 223 

Dawson  from  the  River,  Showing  Landslide   .        .        .  225 

^  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Arthur  D.  Spiess. 
^  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Dr.  De  Cow. 

*  Reproduced  from  photograpli  by  permission  of  E.  A.  Hegg. 

*  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Mr.  Von  Millengeu. 
'^  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Dr.  Dow 


List  of  Illustrations  xiii 

PAGE 

LEARNING  TO  Chop  Wood 227 

Dogs  Hauling  Logs 229 

a  mery  meal  ' 233 

Girl  Wanted  ' 237 

Preparing  Dinner 247 

Crossing  the  Yukon  ' 251 

A  Street  Scene  in  Dawson  • 265 

A  Group  of  Frospectors 269 

Our  Neighbours  who  Elected  me  Mayor    ....  270 

Ladue's  Store 273 

A  Klondike  Te.\m 277 

First  and  Only  Fire  Engine 289 

Erection  of  Tammany  H.all,  Dawson  '         .        .        .        .  293 

The  Stationer's  Store 306 

The  Lock  of  Hair  for  the  Widow 323 

Miss  Van  Buren  in  Travelling  Costume    ....  329 

The  Assay  Office 33S 

Tied  Up  at  Dawson 343 

Our  House  Finished  at  Last 350 

A  Shipment  of  Gold,  September  14,  1S9S  -  .        .        .        .  353 

Waiting  for  the  Mail 363 

The  Flora  ^ 393 

Life  on  a  Barge  ' 401 

Pioneers  of  Dawson  "^ 407 

A  Klondike  King 409 

The  Domville  Passing  us 414 

Five  Fingers  or  Rink  Rapids 421 

Miles  Canon 424 

Miles  Canon  Between  White  Horse  and  Bennett  .        .  429 

Portage  Between  Lakes 432 

White  Horse  Rapids  " 433 

The  Nora 436 

Chilkoot  Railway  and  Transportation  Company  '  .        .  440 
One  Mile  River,  between  Lakes  Linderman  and  Ben- 
nett ■' 441 

'  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Mr.  Von  Millengen. 

=  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  E.  A.  Hegg. 

^  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Arthur  D.  Spiess. 


xiv  List  of  Illustrations 

PAGE 

On  the  Skaguay  Trail 443 

A  Bunk  House 445 

Johnson  Glacier,  near  Skaguay  ' 447 

"Can  you  Go  no  Farther?" 449 

A  Hard  Road  for  Tired  Feet  ■ 451 

Blasting  on  the  Skaguay  Pass  ' 453 

Cutting  Rock  for  a  Grade  on  Tunnel  Mountain  '  .        .  455 

The  Cemetery,  Skaguay 45S 

Mrs.  Hitchcock 459 

Our  Room-mate 461 

Indian  Children  at  Sitka 463 

KiLLISNOO 46S 

"Soapy"  Smith  and  his  Gun 470 

Bear  Totem,  Fort  Wrangel 473 

Map  of  Alaska  ■ in  pocket 

*  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  H.  C.  Barley. 

-  Reproduced  from  photograph  by  permission  of  Arthur  D.  Spiess. 

^  By  permission  of  Miner  Bruce. 


TWO  WOMEN   IN  THE   KLONDIKE 


TWO  WOMEN  IN  THE 
KLONDIKE 


CHAPTER   I 

HO   FOR   THE    LAND   OF    GOLD 


OUR  magnificent  Great  Danes,  Queen  and  Ivan,  met  us 
near  the  wharf,  which  was  crowded  with  such  a  mass 
of  people  that  it  was  no  easy  task  for  our  coachman  to  guide 
his  horses  to  the  gangplank  of  the  steamer  which  was  about 
to  make  her  maiden  trip  to  St.  Michaels.  Although  it  was 
still  early,  her  decks  were  thronged.  We  slowly  worked 
our  way  to  our  cabins,  where  we  found  that  our  maid,  who 
had  preceded  us,  had  carefully  arranged  such  articles  as  she 
thought  necessarj'  for  so  adventurous  a  journey.  We  were 
sorry  to  leave  her  behind  us,  but  the  responsibility  of  taking 
a  young  and  pretty  girl  into  such  regions  as  we  had  planned 
to  explore  would  have  been  too  great. 

In  San  Francisco  our  outfitting  kept  us  in  one  mad  rush, 
so  that,  during  the  last  week,  our  rule  was  twenty  hours  for 
work  and  four  for  sleep  ;  but  the  work  had  been  so  interest- 
ing, the  various  projects  so  exciting,  that  the  four  hours 
were  passed  in  planning,  rather  than  sleeping,  as  our  brains 
continued  to  act,  and  would  not  be  stilled.  At  half-past  five 
writing  and  making  up  accounts  began  ;  then  we  hurriedly 
took  a  cup  of  cofiee  while  dressing  ;  rushed  to  reach  the  shops 
as  soon  as  opened,  had  no  time  for  luncheon,  and  the  stores 


2  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

were  closing  before  we  were  aware  that  it  was  time  ;  then 
dinner,  with  only  half  an  hour  to  spare  for  it,  and  a  hasty 
comparison  of  notes  before  starting  to  listen  to  ' '  records ' '  for 
our  graphophone,  and  music  for  our  ' '  criterion  " ;  to  learn 
to  prepare  the  beautiful  acetylene  light  with  which  we  in- 
tended to  illuminate  our  tent.  We  were  taking  extreme 
pleasure  also  in  outfitting  a  protege,  whose  stories  of  life  in 
Dawson,  and  whose  manj-  schemes  for  making  a  fortune  had 
greatly  interested  us.  Preparations  for  the  trip  were  often 
retarded  by  dear,  kind  friends  who  wrote  :  "  Cannot  under- 
stand your  silence  " ;  or,  "  This  is  my  fourth  letter,  but  not 
a  line  have  you  deigned  in  reply  "  ;  or,  "  It  is  hard  to  believe 
that  j'ou  have  so  changed  and  have  no  longer  a  thought  for 
me."  The  last  night  was  spent  in  reassuring  those  who 
could  not  understand. 

Thanks  be  to  the  Lord  !  It  is  all  over  now  and  we  have 
before  us  at  least  a  fortnight  of  blissful  repose — even  sea- 
sickness will  have  no  terrors.  We  are  just  passing  out  of  the 
beautiful  Golden  Gate.     As  we  were  leaving  the  dock,  Mr. 

W appeared  with  his  machine  for  taking  moving  pictures, 

shouted  a  request  for  us  to  stand  in  the  bow  of  the  steamer 
and  wave  our  handkerchiefs.  From  his  smile  of  satisfaction 
we  judged  that  the  resemblance  would  be  striking  and  that 
we  should  soon  be  en  evidence  at  some  of  the  vaudeville 
shows,  where  "  The  Departure  of  the  St.  Paul  for  the  Klon- 
dike "  might  be  announced  in  loud  tones.     Such  is  fame  ! 

This  longing  of  ours  to  see  one  of  the  few  countries  un- 
known to  us  had  created  such  astonishment  among  our 
friends  and  acquaintances  that  we  were  considered  quite 
mad — -fit  subjects  for  an  insane  asylum.  The  remarks  we 
heard  on  all  sides  were  also  far  from  flattering  or  con- 
soling. At  each  stage  of  our  journey  from  New  York  to 
San  Francisco,  reporters  b)-  the  dozen  came  to  interview 
us.  Such  questions  as  these  were  asked  us  :  "  Do  you 
mean  to  say  that  you  really  intend  to  give  up  all  the  luxu- 
ries and  comforts  of  home  life  to  camp  out  and  endure  such 
privations  and  hardships  as  we  read  of?  Have  you  ever 
climbed  mountains  ?    Tramped  through  swamps  ?    Stumbled 


^3 

CO  o 
CCZ 


Ho  for  the  Land  of  Gold  !  3 

over  rock}-  precipices  ?  I<ived  among  rough  miners  ?  Do 
give  it  up — you  have  no  idea  of  all  the  perils  that  are  in 
store  for  you. ' ' 

In  Colorado  Springs  we  were  charmingly  entertained,  but 
not  one  of  our  friends  there  believed  that  we  really  would 
carry  out  our  plans.  In  Denver  a  party  of  us  went  to  visit 
a  famous  mine  in  Georgetown  ;  we  were  shown  every  atten- 
tion and  courtes}-,  and  deep  interest  was  expressed  in  the 
success  of  our  plans.  "  She  ought  n't  to  have  any  future," 
growled  an  old  miner  standing  near  ;  "  any  lady  wot  leaves 
a  fine  home  an'  fine  friends  and  luxuries  to  take  up  with 
hardships  wot  's  hard  enough  for  strong  men  to  bear  ought 
to  be  locked  up  in  an  insane  asylum." 

The  others  did  not  hear.  I  smiled  and  thought  of  the 
friend  who  wrote  me  :  "  So  you  are  actuallj'  going  to  Dawson 
and  nothing  we  can  say  or  write  will  prevent  it.  Well,  wil- 
ful woman  must  have  her  way  ;  so  I  hope  you  won't  regret 

it."     All  these  thoughts  arose  in  nn-  mind  as  E and  I 

stood  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer,  not  watching  the  disappear- 
ing land,  but  looking  eagerly,  hopefuUj'  forward  to  that 
which  was  to  come. 

It  had  not  been  our  intention  to  sail  on  an  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Companj^'s  steamer,  as  a  friend  had  so  highlj'  recom- 
mended those  of  the  Empire  Line  that  we  engaged  passage 
on  the  Ohio  at  once,  never  having  seen  her.  We  were,  there- 
fore, filled  with  anno3'ance  upon  receiving  a  notification  that 
the  owners  could  not  keep  to  the  contract  made  with  us,  as 
the  Government  had  chartered  the  steamer;  but  when  we 
found  that  it  was  to  be  sent  with  reinforcements  to  our  hero 
Dewey,  we  readily  accepted  the  situation  and  made  our 
plans  to  go  b}'  the  Indiana,  belonging  to  the  same  company. 
Again  the  Government  stepped  in,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
look  about  for  other  means  of  transportation.  Upon  inquiry-, 
we  found  that  the  reputation  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  was  so  high,  their  ships  so  well  manned,  and  their 
contracts  so  carefully  carried  out,  that  we  went  to  the  office 
to  ascertain  how  soon  one  of  their  steamers  would  be  leaving 
for  the  desired  land.     We  were  informed  that  the  St.  Paul 


4  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

had  just  been  finished  ;  was  fitted  with  all  modern  con- 
veniences ;  that  a  reception  on  board  was  to  be  given  that 
very  evening,  and  were  urged  not  only  to  attend  but  to 
bring  our  friends.  We  did  so,  were  received  by  one  of  the 
courteous  owners  most  charmingly,  treated  with  distin- 
guished consideration,  and  told  to  select  whichever  cabins  we 
pleased,  as,  although  all  were  engaged,  the  passengers,  being 
composed  mostly  of  men,  would  "  willingly  change  in  favour 
of  ladies."  We  were  next  taken  to  the  dining-room  for  a 
champagne  supper;  after  tasting  the  chef's  bouillon  and  one 
or  two  other  dishes,  we  immediately  decided  that  the  wants 
of  the  inner  man  would  be  well  cared  for  and  booked  our 
passage  at  once,  so  charmed  were  we  with  the  equipments 
and  many  advantages  of  the  SL  Paul,  to  saj'  nothing  of  the 
extreme  courtesj-  of  her  officers. 

And  now  begins  a  most  truthful  account  of  incidents  just 
as  they  happened,  copied  from  the  journal  of  daily  events, 
in  order  to  show  women  who  feel  inclined  to  make  the  trip 
exactly  what  thej'  may  expect. 


t^i^ 


CHAPTER  II 


WITH    MALICE    TOWARDS    NONE 


Steamer  "  St.  Paui,,"  Thursda_v,  June  i6th. 

WAKENED  early.  Opened  the  blind,  and  was  sitting 
up  in  bed  rapidly  jotting  down  a  dream-inspired 
article,  when  the  curtains  parted,  the  head  of  a  man  appeared, 
and  a  big,  heart}-  voice  called  out  :  "  HuUoa  !  how  are  you 
this  morning  ?  Why  don't  you  get  up  ?  I  'm  up  !  Have 
a  piece  of  orange  ?  I  've  been  seasick  for  four  days.  This 
is  my  first  day  out  of  my  cabin.  Have  been  awfully  gener- 
ous. Gave  the  captain  the  ocean,  and  the  purser  all  the  land 
we  've  left  behind.  Did  n't  think  I  should  ever  want  either 
of  them  again  ;  but,  say — why  don' t  you  get  up  ?  "  "  Be- 
cause it  is  so  much  more  comfortable  resting  here  than  walk- 
ing on  a  wet  deck,  and  so  much  easier  to  write."  "  Writing 
— do  you  have  to  write  ?  What  yer  writing  about  ?  Write 
a  letter  to  me  ;  I  'm  your  next-door  neighbour.  Suppose 
you  don't  mind  my  looking  in  3'our  room  and  trying  to  jolly 
you  up  ?  "  "  As  for  the  '  looking  in,'  one  grows  accustomed 
to  that  on  this  ship  where  the  cabins  open  on  the  promenade 
deck  and  kind  neighbours  feel  it  a  dut}'  to  cheer  up  those 

who  are  supposed  to  be  ill,  and  Miss  V and  I  intend  to 

'  rough  it,'  and  to  live  and  do  just  as  the  people  of  the  coun- 
try do."  "  That  's  right,  and  we  '11  look  after  j-ou  well.  I 
never  expected  to  go  back,  but  have  half  a  dozen  claims  at 
Rampart  Cit}',  and  mj'  partner  's  just  written  for  me  to  come 
as  they  're  turning  out  fine.  You  don't  want  to  buy  any 
claims,  I  suppose  ?  You  ought  to  get  off  at  Rampart — much 
better  than  Dawson.     House  lots  selling:  there  for  a  thousand 


6  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

dollars  apiece.  Excuse  me  a  minute."  .  .  .  Later — 
same  voice  :  "  One  o'  your  dogs  is  loose.  What  j-er  going 
to  do  with  them  when  30U  get  to  the  first  landing-place  ? 
I  '11  help  you  look  out  for  'em  and  get  'em  ashore,  while  j'ou 
earn,-  your  revolver,  as  the  other  dogs  will  all  pounce  on 
'em  and  it  won't  be  a  fair  fight — twenty  against  two.  What  ! 
J'OU  don't  know  how  to  use  a  revolver?  That  don't  matter. 
Just  fire  in  the  air,  and  the  dogs  '11  run.  Whj%  women 
shoot  better  than  men,  anyhow.  I  did  n't  know  my  wife 
could  shoot  until  I  offered  her  a  pair  of  gloves  for  each  time 
she  hit  the  bull's-eye.  She  did  it  twice  before  I  was  sure  it 
was  not  an  accident,  and  then  I  cried  quits.  So-long  ; 
I  '11  come  and  jolly  you  again  bj-  and  bj'." 

Second  face  at  the  window  :  "  Good-morning  ;  how  are 
you  feeling?"  "Good-morning,  Mr.  Purser."  "Well, 
are  you  going  to  get  up  to-daj-  ?  It  's  perfectlj-  fine  out. 
Anything  I  can  do  for  you  ?  Just  call  on  me  in  case  3'ou 
want  anything." 

Third  face  appears  :  "  I  've  got  some  verj-  bad  news  for 
you.  Madam."  "  Not  the  dogs  ?  "  I  cried  in  alarm.  "  No, 
Madam."  "  Nor  the  parrot  ?  "  "  No,  Madam,  but  one  of 
the  canaries  is  dead.  I  did  all  I  could  for  him,  and  left  him 
two  hours  ago  bright  and  livelj',  but  returned  to  find  the 
other  mourning  his  mate,  who  was  lying  cold  in  the  bottom 
of  the  cage.  I  'm  very  sorry,  but  as  the  two  dozen  pigeons 
are  in  perfect  health,  you  must  see  that  I  have  given  great 
attention  to  your  birds  and  animals." 

Face  number  one  again :  ' '  Say !  I've  thought  of  a  splendid 
scheme  for  you.  There  's  plenty  of  old  canvas  on  board. 
Why  don't  you  hire  one  of  the  sailors  to  sew  a  tent  for  j-our 
dogs  out  of  it  ?  On  the  quiet,  of  course.  You  can  do  any- 
thing on  the  quiet.  I  '11  get  one  for  you.  Here,  Bo's'n, 
this  lady  wants  a  tent  for  her  dogs.  Look  in  this  window 
an'  you  fix  it  with  her,  an'  she  '11  fix  it  with  you  afterwards 

— that  's  all  right.      Say  !    what  was  your  friend    [E ] 

kicking  about  this  morning  ?  She  looked  thundering  black 
at  me  while  .she  was  talking  in  your  window  to  you.  Oh  ! 
she  did  n't  like  our  talking  outside  her  door  !     Wanted  to 


With  Malice  towards  None 


/ 


sleep  later  !  Well,  why  the  deuce  did  n't  she  say  so  ?  You 
can  bet  your  life  we  would  n't  'a'  done  it  if  she  'd  'a'  said  she 
did  n't  like  it.  Well  !  so-long  !  I  'U  come  back  and  jolly 
you  some  more  if  you  don't  get  out  soon.  I  'ni  feeling 
fine  !  Your  mandolin  disturb  me  last  evening  ?  No!  bless 
your  soul  !  if  I  'd  known  you  had  a  mandolin  I  'd  'a'  been  in. 
Next  time  you  plaj-  it  you  can  count  on  me  as  a  sure  enough 
visitor." 

June  17th. 
I  am  not  enjoying  much  of  the  rest  to  which  I  so  longingly 
looked  forward.  Letters  home  must  be  written,  and  my  pen 
is  also  kept  busy  in  trying  to  depict  in  my  journal  the  many 
novel  characters  on  board,  and  to  write  of  the  warm  hearts 
which  show  so  plainly  beneath  the  rough  exterior.  I  hur- 
ried through  dinner  and  went  to  my  cabin  for  a  quiet  hour's 
practice  of  zither  and  mandolin.  With  closed  door  and  spirit 
far  away  in  the  realms  of  music,  I  was  brought  back  by  hear- 
ing :  "  Ain't  that  the  sweetest  music  you  ever  listened  to  ?  " 
"  Egad!  I  could  stop  here  forever  if  she  'd  never  stop  pla}'- 
ing."  "  I  say,  Missus,  do  j-ou  mind  letting  us  open  your 
cabin  door,  for  we  ain't  heard  no  such  music  as  that  never  ; 
you  won't  be  too  cold,  will  you  ?  "  and  the  door  was  slowly 
opened  even  as  the  appeal  vi'as  made.  Those  who  had  here- 
tofore been  able  to  promenade  in  .single  file  before  the  cabins 
waited,  as  the  passageway  was  blocked.  "  No  use  trying  to 
pass  here,  old  man,"  someone  cried,  as  a  short  fellow  with  a 
gray  beard  partially  covering  a  soiled  white  shirt-front  wrig- 
gled, finally,  to  a  position  from  which  he  could  obtain  a  sight 
of  the  instrument,  and  was  chaffed  unmercifully.  "  You  '11 
get  there,  Colonel."  "  Push  ahead,  ole  man."  "  Get  in 
der  front,  now,  Nanny-Goat."  "  What  's  she  playin'  ?" 
"  Why,  a  zither,"  and  the  informant,  bolder  than  the  others, 
worked  his  way  inside  of  the  tiny  cabin  and  seated  himself 
on  the  wash-stand.  Another  dropped  into  the  corner  of  the 
sofa,  while  still  another  seated  himself  on  the  door-sill.  The 
old  man  stood  before  me,  listening  intently,  with  beaming 
eyes  and  a  smile  which   never  disappeared  until  the  tears 


8  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

rolled  down  his  face  as  I  concluded  with  the  touching  strains 
of  Home,  Sweet  Home.  "  Why,  that  's  as  fine  as  my  fiddle," 
said  he.  "Do  you  play  the  fiddle?"  I  asked,  rising  (in 
order  to  disperse  the  crowd)  and  returning  the  zither  to  its 
case.  His  eyes  sparkled  as  he  eagerly  replied,  "  Yes  ;  you 
want  to  hear  it  ?  Somebody  borrowed  it,  but  I  '11  find  it  " ; 
and,  as  he  hastily  disappeared,  one  of  the  passengers  called 
out  :  "  O\\,you  don't  want  to  hear  him  !  You  '11  ask  him  for 
an  opera,  an'  he  '11  play  Yankee  Doodle.     You  ask  for  some- 


COLONEL   B AND   HIS  FIDDLE. 

thing  sad — same  old  thing  again  ;  ask  for  something  lively — 
same  old  thing — always  just  the  one  tune."  Shouts  of"  A 
whale  !  a  whale  !  "  .sent  the  entire  party  for'ard,  and  music 
and  the  old  man  were  forgotten  as  we  watched  the  sport  of 
several  monsters  of  the  deep. 

June  iSth. 
"  Thought  you'  d  like  a  flower,"  a  voice  shouted  early 
this  morning,  as  the  curtains  were  pushed  aside  and  a  rose 
fell  on  my  bed,  stopping  my  hurrying  pencil.  "  Bet  you 
don't  know  where  I  got  it  from,  but  I  was  sure  you  'd  appre- 
ciate it.     Still  writing  ?     I  say  !  you  work  hard,  don't  you  ? 


"With  Malice  towards  None"  9 

Why  don't  you  come  out  and  enjo}-  yourself  like  the  rest  of 
the  people  ?  "  and  the  man  who  had  offered  to  look  out  for 

the  dogs  at  the  first  landing-place  disappeared,   as  E 

entered  to  give  nie  the  morning  news.  "  Do  you  know  who 
your  friend  is,  the  one  who  gave  j-ou  the  rose  ?  ' '  she  laughed ; 

"  his  name  is  J ,  and  he  keeps  a  saloon  in  San  Francisco." 

"  Saloon  or  no  saloon,"  replied  I,  "  he  is  much  more  polite 
and  considerate  than  your  friend,  who,  representative  of  an 
enormously  wealthy  sj'ndicate  though  he  be,  bows  to  a  lady 
without  seeming  to  remember  that  he  has  a  hat  to  touch." 

"  Oh,  he  's  absent-minded,"   said  E ;    "I  've  already 

spoken  to  him  about  it,  though.  He  and  the  Judge  are  wild 
to  know  why  we  are  taking  such  an  enormous  tent  to  Daw- 
son. They  have  spent  the  entire  week  in  trying  to  discover 
for  what  purpose  it  is  intended,  and  say  that  it  is  the  first 
time  that  thej'  have  ever  found  a  woman  who  could  keep  a 
secret  ;  so  thej'  are  waiting  to  see  if  the}-  can't  prevail  upon 
you  to  divulge  the  great  nn-stery."  "  Let  them  continue  to 
guess,"  said  I  ;  "  their  questions  maj'  give  us  some  sugges- 
tions of  value." 

Upon  leaving  the  dinner-table  early  in  order  to  indulge  in 
music  before  all  the  world  and  his  wife  should  start  upon  the 
evening  promenade,  a  refined-looking  j'oung  man,  with  deli- 
cately cut  features,  approached,  saying  :  "  It  's  very  dull  on 
board,  and  I  enjoy  your  music  so  much  that  I  thought  by 
coming  early  j-ou  might  allow  me  to  listen,  and  may  I  bring 
my  mandolin  and  try  some  duets  with  you  ?  "  The  request 
was  willingly  granted,  but  only  for  a  short  time  were  we  per- 
mitted to  indulge  uninterruptedly  in  practice.  The  crowd 
soon  discovered  us  ;  the  gangwa}-  was  blocked,  while  those 
on  the  outside  suggested  that  we  could  give  much  pleasure 
by  moving  into  larger  quarters — Social  Hall,  for  instance  ; 
but  the  performers  being  modest  and  of  retiring  natures,  the 
concert  came  to  an  end  after  some  of  the  listeners  had  man- 
aged not  only  to  gain  entrance  to  the  cabin,  but  to  ask  if  I 
minded  smoking.  Accustomed  to  the  odour  of  a  good  cigar, 
I  made  no  objection,  but  oh  !  the  pipes  and  vile  tobacco  !  I 
had  not  counted  upon  them,  so  laughingly  told  my  unex- 


lo  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

pected  guests  that  the  canarj-  was  objecting  seriously,  put 
aside  the  music,  and  we  all  went  out  into  the  delicious  pure 
air.  Had  a  delightful  chat  with  two  modest  Italian  priests. 
The}'  had  expected  to  be  sent  to  Dawson,  and  had  made 
all  their  plans  to  that  effect,  but  orders  had  been  changed 
and  the}-  were  going  to  an  unknown  region.  No  comment 
did  they  make — no  unkind  criticism  at  this  unexpected 
news  :  thej'  were  in  the  Master's  service,  their  onh'  thought 
to  do  good  and  to  lead  souls  unto  Him.  May  they  reap  a 
rich  reward. 

A  steward  approached,  .saj'ing,  "  Madam,  would  you  mind 
lending  your  mandolin  for  a  little  while  ?  "  As  my  mandolin 
is  a  Vinaccia,  and  one  especially  selected  for  me  by  my  Nea- 
politan teacher  (who,  bj-  the  wa}-,  is  instructor  to  her  Majesty, 
the  beautiful  and  well-beloved  Queen  of  Italy),  I  felt  some 
reluctance,  but  asked  him  to  see  that  it  was  treated  with  the 
greatest  care.  "  Oh,  that  '11  be  all  right.  Madam,"  was  the 
response  ;  "  I  'm  going  to  play  it  myself."  We  adjourned 
to  the  stern  of  the  steamer,  where  we  found  about  fifty  of  the 
passengers  gathered — they  standing,  the  waiters  all  seated  ; 
but  those  who  had  appreciated  my  music  rushed  to  find  a 
chair  for  me,  saying  :  "  You  kin  bet  your  bottom  dollar 
we  're  a-goin'  to  look  out  for  you."  There  were  two  mando- 
lins, two  guitars,  and  a  banjo,  but  the  centre  of  the  group 

was  the  old  fiddler,  Colonel  B ,  whose  eyes  sparkled  and 

whose  expression  was  one  of  the  keenest  delight  at  having 
so  large  an  audience.  We  listened  to  sweet,  pathetic  songs, 
then  came  a  jig  from  the  Colonel's  fiddle,  and  this  was  fol- 
lowed by  several  solos  to  the  accompaniment  of  the  guitar 
and  banjo.  Faster  and  faster  played  the  old  man,  his  excite- 
ment so  great  that  he  stopped  to  remove  his  hat  ;  he  rose, 
from  side  to  side  he  swayed,  holding  the  audience  spell- 
bound ;  the  banjoist  dropped  his  banjo,  the  notes  of  the  guitar 
were  stilled  ;  finally  a  burst  of  applau.se  rang  on  the  air  as  the 
Colonel  dropped  into  his  seat,  saying,  "  I  knowed  I  could 
play  'em  all  down."  Our  evening  entertainment  on  the 
S/.  Pa///  ended  with  A/j'  Country,  ' t  is  of  Thee,  after  which  a 
collection  was  taken  for  the  stewards  who  had  so  well  helped 


"With  Malice  towards  None 


1 1 


us  to  pass  an  hour,  the  generous  captain  heading  the  contri- 
bution. As  I  was  being  escorted  to  the  cabin  by  half  a 
dozen  musical  acquaintances,  my  attention  was  attracted  by 
something  to  me  quite  novel  :  it  looked  like  a  search-light 
coming  from  the  bottom  of  the  ship.  On  questioning,  I  was 
told  that  instead  of  irritating  the  nerves  of  passengers  by  the 
old-fashioned  method  of  hoisting  and  throwing  overboard 
cinders  or  ashes,  they  were  washed  out  in  a  stream  of  water. 
That  explained  the  unusual  quiet,  so  different  from  the  noise 
endured  on  my  last  long  voyage. 


^^K^^ 

s^^B^'^v'jtf" 

M^B 

1 

^^<!K 

^!<j«pR 

■'  ^  ' 

Bl 

HH 

M 

m 

^^K' 

m 

t      1 

I    KNOWED   I    COULD    PLAY    'EM    ALL    DOWN.' 


CHAPTER  III 

LAND    IN   SIGHT  ! 

June  19th. 

A  COLD,  damp,  dark  day,  and,  what  with  wet  decks  out- 
side. Social  Hall  crowded  with  its  usual  complement 
of  passengers,  some  plaj'ing  cards,  some  reading,  others  in 
a  reclining  position,  thus  occupying  space  intended  for  three, 
I  felt  not  inclined  towards  its  stuff)-,  hermetically  sealed 
quarters,  so  concluded  that  the  inducement  to  rise  was  not 
sufficiently  great,  and  that  reading  and  writing  could  be 
done  to  much  greater  advantage  in  the  privac}-  of  my  own 
comfortable  cabin  amidst  the  luxury  of  an  abundance  of 
cushions.  Air,  pure  and  invigorating,  could  be  obtained 
through  the  open  window  even  with  drawn  curtains.  How- 
ever, interruptions  came  often  from  the  well-meaning  pas- 
sengers who  ventured  on  deck,  and  stopped  to  inquire  for 
my  health,  as  they  could  not  understand  any  one  who  failed 
to  care  for  "  three  full  meals  a  day."  When  the  Captain 
made  his  regular  inspection,  my  hand  was  aching  from  hours 
of  steady  writing.  "  Hulloa,"  said  he,  "in  bed,  still?  I 
guess  you  must  be  lazy.  Want  anything  ?  Just  let  me 
know  if  you  don't  get  all  you  want." 

Towards  evening  there  was  a  great  commotion  on  board. 
A  head  appeared  at  the  window  and  a  voice  said  :  ' '  Pardon 
me,  but  land  's  in  sight,  and  we  shall  reach  Unalaska 
before  midnight."  What  a  delightful  announcement  ! 
Scarcely  had  the  head  disappeared  ere  I  was  dressing  rapidly 
and  soon  joined  the  excited  passengers.  "  Hulloa,"  was 
the  greeting  on  all  .sides,  "  so  the  sight  ot  land  has  ac- 
complished what  no  one  on  board  could  manage  and  has 


14  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

brought  vou  among  us  once  more  !  "  Oh  !  the  grandeur 
of  the  scene  before  us  !  A  long  chain  of  mountains  on  either 
side.  Snow  everywhere,  and  above  the  snow  the  most  beau- 
tiful blue  clouds,  not  with  silver  lining,  but  golden.  As  we 
approached  the  entrance,  three  islands  lying  on  the  left 
seemed  to  be  surrounded  by  fishing-boats,  and  we  gazed 
eagerly  ;  but,  upon  drawing  near,  they  proved  to  be  onlj' 
rocks.  Sea-birds  flew  before  the  S/.  Paul  as  though  care- 
fully guiding  the  good  ship  on  her  first  voyage  ;  smaller 
birds  flitted  to  and  fro  acro.ss  the  bow,  while  sea-fowl 
skimmed  the  water  in  search  of  prey.  The  icy  wind  was  so 
penetrating  that  my  companions  soon  sought  the  warmth  of 
Social  Hall,  but  the  inspiring  scene  chained  me  to  the  deck, 
and  my  soul  was  filled  with  gratitude  towards  Him  who  in 
His  infinite  mercy  had  brought  us  safely  across  the  ocean. 

"  We  shall  not  make  it  to-night,"  I  heard  at  length,  so 
reluctantly  sought  my  cabin.  Some  natives  who  were  re- 
turning to  their  Alaskan  homes  came  out  from  Social  Hall. 
"  Oh  the  Priest,  the  Priest,  we  have  passed  the  Priest,"  they 
cried,  pointing  to  an  enormous  rock.  "  We  shall  soon  be 
there. ' '     Shortly  after,  we  were  at  anchor,  and  all  was  quiet. 

June  20th. 
At  seven  a.m.  I  sprang  from  the  bunk,  threw  back  the 
shutter,  and  started  with  surprise  and  admiration.  It  was 
as  though  our  grand  Palisades  of  the  Hudson  were  looking 
down  upon  us.  Not,  however,  until  one  gazed  upon  the 
mountain-tops,  covered  everywhere  with  snow,  could  one 
realise  to  what  a  different  clime  the  good  ship  had  brought 
us.  As  she  swung  at  her  moorings,  my  first  view  was  of  a 
range  of  low  hills  covered  with  beautiful  green  grass,  a  few 
tents  scattered  here  and  there,  a  partially  built  river  steamer 
on  the  ways,  a  large,  two-storied,  brick  building  with  high- 
windowed  roof,  and  in  the  water  before  it  something  that 
looked  like  the  covered  house-boat  of  Japan.  Beyond  the 
row  of  tents  stood  a  wide,  two-storied  brick  building  with 
five  windows,  in  front  of  which  rode  at  anchor  one  of  the 
Alaska   Commercial   Company's   steamers.      Then   came   a 


Land  in  Sight !  15 

range  of  low  buildings,  a  white  edifice  with  two  cupolas  or 
spires,  and  that  was  all  that  could  be  seen  from  in3-  cabin 
window.  The  whistle  of  a  tugboat  next  attracts  attention, 
as  she  comes  alongside  with  a  lighter.  Two  sturdj-  sailors 
are  rowing  three  men  to  the  S/.  Paul.  A  sailboat  also  is 
approaching,  its  several  occupants  taking  as  much  apparent 
interest  in  us  as  our  passengers  are  showing  in  them. 

Evening. — Such  an  exciting  day  on  shore  !  A  large  party 
of  us  pushed  off  in  the  .steam  launch,  and  after  all  were  com- 
fortably placed  I  took  a  seat  in  the  doorway  to  be  sheltered 
and  also  to  enjoy  the  beautiful  view.  A  young  woman,  find- 
ing it  too  cold  outside,  asked  if  there  were  room  for  one  more 
in  the  cabin.  I  willingly  moved  aside  to  allow  her  to  enter, 
instead  of  which  she  coolly  took  my  place  and  allowed  me  to 
remain  standing.  We  passed  a  rock  completeh*  covered 
with  gulls,  which  reminded  me,  I  scarcely  know  why,  of  a 
certain  rock  in  China  which  was  pointed  out  to  me  as  the 
one  on  which  superfluous  girl  babies  were  placed  to  be  dis- 
posed of  by  the  birds  of  the  air.  Ou  reaching  the  wharf, 
great  was  our  dismay  at  finding  it  towering  high  above  our 
heads,  necessitating  a  perpendicular  climb  on  slats  which 
shook  under  the  feet  of  lighter  weights  than  ours.  As  we 
were  thinking  sadly  of  turning  back,  E had  a  happy  in- 
spiration. A  rowboat  was  near,  and  its  occupant  hailed. 
He  quickly  came  to  our  rescue.  We  had  but  to  transfer 
ourselves  to  his  boat,  and  presto  1  we  were  landed  safely 
on  the  beach.  Several  women  who  had  followed  our  lead 
dashed  on  with  never  so  much  as  a  "thank  you"  to 
our  assistant.  We  stopped  to  offer  him  remuneration  but 
he  assured  us  so  cordially  of  his  pleasure  in  having  been 
able  to  oblige  us,  that  we  thanked  him  profusely  and  de- 
cided that  we  were  going  to  like  Alaskans. 

At  the  very  end  of  the  town  we  came  to  a  collection  of  tents. 
At  the  entrance  was  a  sign  which  read,  "  Laundry  by  the 
Lake."  We  inquired  if  we  might  enter  and  inspect  the 
"  Laundry,"  and  the  request  was  readily  granted.      After 

peeping  first  into  one  tent  and  then  another  E at  last  said 

to  the  good-looking  5'oung  woman  in  charge  :  "  But  where  is 


i6 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


the  laundry  ?  "  "  Here,"  said  she,  pointing  to  the  tub  in 
which  her  arm  was  immersed.  "  Are  j-ou  getting  rich  ?  " 
"  Oh,  «o  !  Madam  ;  I  did  not  come  for  that.  The  laundry 
is  only  to  keep  me  from  feeling  lonely  while  the  men  are 
awa}-,  as  the  dajs  would  otherwise  be  too  long."  "  May  I 
take  a  picture  of  your  laundry  ?  "  said  I.  "  With  pleasure, 
Madam;  but  maj'  I  have  the  time  to  put  on  my  red  shawl 


and  my  cap  ? ' 


By  all  means,   and  call  some   of  your 


EXTINCT    VOLCANO    IN    UNALASKA. 


friends  to  join  in  the  group."  A  shout  brought  a  number 
of  men,  who  entered  into  the  spirit  of  the  thing  and  posed  to 
make  an  interesting  picture.  One  threw  a  bag  over  his 
shoulder,  another  caught  up  a  grip-sack,  a  third  pretended 
to  prepare  a  mess  of  porridge  in  a  pail  ;  while  a  fourth  looked 
hesitatingly  as  though  to  inquire  whether  he  were  really 
wanted.     "  Come  along,"  cried  E ,  "  we  are  waiting  for 


Land  in  Sight  !  17 

3-011  ;  the  picture  would  never  do  without  so  handsome  a 
fellow,"  and  the  others  laughed  at  his  embarrassment  and 
pleasure.  The  laundress,  who  had  been  searching  unsuccess- 
fully for  her  cap,  was  obliged  to  pose  without  it.  After  a 
short  chat  we  asked  for  an  address  to  which  we  might  send 
one  of  the  photographs.  "  Oh,  we  're  onl)'  tenting  here," 
they  replied;  "  we  '11  meet  you  in  Dawson,  and  get  it  then." 
One  of  the  men  explained  that  they  had  bought  their  tickets 
to  Dawson,  with  the  distinct  understanding  that  the  com- 
pany had  river  boats  waiting  for  them,  so  that  they  should 
be  carried  safely  and  speedily  up  the  Yukon,  without  delay; 


THE    CEMETERY. 


upon  reaching  Unalaska,  however,  they  were  landed  on  the 
beach  to  make  their  way  as  best  they  could  to  their  destina- 
tion, and  many  others  had  suffered  a  similar  fate.  This  goes 
to  prove  that  it  is  far  wiser  to  travel  by  a  first-class  line,  even 
though  the  cost  of  transportation  be  greater. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  the  cemeterj',  which  we  reached  after 
climbing  a  short  hill.  Many  mounds  were  unmarked ;  others 
had  a  wooden  cross,  but  no  name.  There  was  one  with  a 
marble  slab  and  the  inscription,  "  Sheltered  at  last,"  and 
three  with  pretentious  iron  railings  which  looked  incon- 
gruous.    As  we  wandered  back  towards  the  little  town,  we 


i8  T\\o  Women  in  the  Klondike 

stopped  to  gather  man}-  beautiful  wild-flowers  and  violets, 
that  seemed  so  out  of  place  under  the  snow-capped  peaks. 
I  stopped  at  the  "Jesse  Lee  Home,"  to  make  inquiries  in 
regard  to  this  mission,  feeling  that  the  information  would 
be  grateful  to  those  who  could  hear  but  seldom.  On  sending 
in  my  card  I  was  ushered  into  a  sitting-room,  and  while 
waiting  I  was  pleasantly  entertained  by  an  interesting  young 
couple  who  had  been  boarding  at  the  "  Home  "  for  a  fort- 
night. The}'  were  waiting  for  the  Yukon  to  be  free  from  ice 
that  they  might  continue  their  journe}%  and  were  enjoying 
their  sta%'  immensel_v.  "  There  is  always  something  going 
on,"  said  they.  "  The  officers  of  the  Bear  have  entertained 
us  extensively,  and  many  little  festivities  have  been  given 
in  our  honour."  One  of  the  teachers  then  entered,  and, 
telling  me  that  she  was  in  the  midst  of  great  preparations  for 
an  exhibition  to  be  given  iu  the  evening,  asked  if  I  would 
accompan}'  her  to  the  "  Village  store  and  Post-office,"  thus 
allowing  her  to  kill  two  birds  with  one  stone,  and  talk  to  me 
while  at  the  same  time  accomplishing  her  errands.  She 
spoke  of  her  love  for  the  work  of  helping  and  educating  In- 
dian girls,  but  said,  that  the  immorality  in  the  village  was 
so  great  that  it  was  often  most  discouraging,  for  instead  of 
having  the  assistance  of  the  mothers,  they  seemed  rather  to- 
encourage  their  daughters  to  intimacy  with  the  white  men. 
She  also  stated,  that  the  Russian  priest,  disapproving  of 
their  sectarian  teachings,  tried  to  undermine  their  influence, 
and  to  wrest  from  them  their  charges.  Here  we  reached  the 
Post-office,  and  our  ways  parted.  I  was  cordiallj'  invited  to 
the  evening  entertainment,  also  to  pay  another  visit  on  the 
morrow.  I  left,  sad  and  pensive,  to  think  that  here  among 
those  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the  Lord,  instead  of  love  and 
brotherly  aid,  there  should  be  dissension,  strife,  and  bitter- 
ness !  Why,  if  both  were  equally  earnest,  could  they  not 
work  in  unison  ? 

' '  Seattle  P.  I.  "  \_Post  Iiitelligencc>-\  was  called  b}-  a  news- 
vendor,  and  I  made  my  first  purchase  of  an  ordinary  daily 
journal  of  June  13th  which  had  the  mark  "  five-cents,"  in  the 
corner.     It  was  sold  to  me  for  twentj^-five.     "  You  will  soon 


Land  in  Sight ! 


19 


amass  a  fortune  at  that  rate. "  "  Oh,  no  !  I  have  been  getting 
one  dollar  for  them  ;  these  are  cheap,"  the  man  replied  He 
had  just  disposed  of  three  dozen  five-cent  badges  at  twenty- 
five  cents  each,  he  informed  me.     What  will  the  prices  at 

Dawson  be  ?     E then  joined  me,  and  we  wended  our 

way  to  the  wharf,  expecting  to  take  the  steam-tug  and  reach 
the  St  Paul  for  the  noon  lunch-hour,  but,  on  reaching  the 
dock,  we  were  told  that  the  next  trip  would  be  at  one  o'clock, 


A    KAYAK    OR    NATIVE    BOAT. 


so  we  secured  a  rowboat.  We  were  expressing  some  doubt 
as  to  its  sea-worthiness,  when  its  owner  exclaimed  that  had 
it  not  been  a  fine  one,  he  never  should  have  brought  it  all 
the  way  from  Seattle.  As  he  rowed,  he  informed  us  that  he 
also  was  waiting  to  get  to  Dawson,  having  been  landed  on 
the  beach  by  an  irresponsible  steamship  company  which  had 
taken  his  last  penny  in  payment  for  a  ticket,  yet  had  fulfilled 


20 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


less  than  half  of  their  contract.  He  was  now  trying  to  turn 
an  honest  penny  and  earn  sufficient  to  enable  him  to  reach 
the  promised  land.  On  reaching  the  5"/.  Paul,  we  found  the 
ladder  far  above  us,  and  after  rowing  several  times  around 
the  ship,  calling  in  vain  for  someone  to  lower  it,  we  went 
back  to  shore  to  escape  the  ropes  thrown  to  us  bj-  kindly 
hands,  as  we  feared  being  lassoed.     Another  walk  and  chat 


UNHAPPY    BUT    RESIGNED. 


with  men  who  were  as  anxious  to  talk  and  explain,  as  we  to 
ask  whys  and  wherefores.  At  last  came  the  launch,  and  as 
we  neared  the  steamer's  side,  we  trembled  at  thought  of  the 
chaff  to  come,  after  our  ignominious  retreat.  Instead,  we 
received  a  round  of  applause  as  we  boarded,  for  which  we 
could  not  understand  the  reason.  Our  luncheon  had  been 
saved  for  us  by  an  attentive  steward,  and  needless  to  saj*,  was 
thoroughly  enjoyed  after  our  long  tramp.  The  afternoon  was 
passed  in  writing  and  watching  the  natives  in  their  boats. 


Land  in  Siefht !  21 

o 

Towards  evening,  the  tug  came  alongside,  with  an  un- 
usualh'  fine-looking  body  of  men  on  board.  To  our  sur- 
prise, instead  of  climbing  the  gangway  ladder,  they  stepped 
on  board  the  coal-lighter  and  began  taking  oif  their  coats. 
"  What  does  this  mean  ? "  we  asked  in  astonishment. 
"  Who  are  they  ?  "  "  That 's  the  night-gang  come  to  '  coal 
ship,'  "  replied  one  of  our  oflBcers.  We  could  scarcely  be- 
lieve it  possible  that  these  great  big  splendid  specimens, 
whose  appearance  of  culture  and  general  refinement  bespoke 
a  fitness  for  some  higher  calling,  should  so  willingly  perform 
a  work  apparently  far  beneath  them,  and  to  our  expressions 
of  astonishment  the  same  officer  made  answer,  "  Oh,  they  're 
down  on  their  luck  just  now  ;  been  dropped  here  by  different 
steamers  that  could  n't  fill  their  contracts,  an'  then  some  o' 
them,  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company  's  been  feeding  all 
winter,  an'  they  '11  probably  take  a  lot  o'  them  on  to  Dawson 
an'  give  'em  their  grub  besides.  Why  this  'ere  Company  's 
fed  over  three  hundred  men  this  winter,  an'  there  ain't  one 
of  'em  but  'd  be  glad  to  work  in  the  most  menial  position 
for  'em." 

June  2ist. 

A  steady  drizzle,  but  I  dressed  and  went  up  to  feed  the 
dogs,  who  were  softly  crying  at  sight  of  the  land  which 
they  could  not  reach.  Our  plans  were  made  to  spend  the 
day  in  a  trip  to  Dutch  Harbour,  close  by,  a  visit  to  the  Rus- 
sian church,  also  to  the  Mission.  The  rain  alone  would  not 
have  prevented,  but  the  thought  of  trying  to  climb  up  the 
wharf  on  slippery,  shaking  slats,  of  being  pushed  by  those 
from  below,  and  pulled  by  those  from  above,  of  the  trouble 
we  would  give  the  men  accompanying  us — this  all  combined 
to  cause  us  to  remain  on  board,  consoling  ourselves  that  we 
might  be  able  to  carrj*  out  our  programme  on  the  return  trip. 
The  few  merchants  of  the  place  might  have  made  a  good  in- 
vestment by  arranging  an  attractive  landing-place,  as  there 
were  a  number  of  small  articles  which  we  would  gladly  have 
purchased. 

June  23d. 

At  sea  once  more.     After  a  quiet,  peaceful  day,  the  pass- 


22 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


engers  congregated  iu  the  stern  of  the  boat,  where  thej*  were 
entertained  by  the  stewards  with  mandolin  and  banjo  music, 
until  some  of  the  women  indicated  a  desire  to  dance.  Part- 
ners were  abundant.     One  of  the  characters — a  Mr.  O 

asked  me  if  he  might  "  have  the  honour."  I  declined  most 
politely,  saying  that  I  had  only  come  to  look  on  for  a  few 
moments,  then  walked  rapidl}'  forward.  Footsteps  quickly 
followed  and  a  voice  caused  me  to  turn  as  it  shouted,  "  Say! 
you  may  not  think  it,  but  I  'm  a  prize  dancer,  I  am  !  and 
't  ain't  often  a  lady  gits  a  chance  to  refuse  me  !  I  don't  want 
you  to  think  I  'm  a-stickin'  feathers  in  ni}'  cap,  but  I  jess 
want  ter  tell  you,  that  I  kin  put  on  a  dress  coat  an'  go  to  the 
finest  kind  of  a  ball,  and  have  half  the  girls  in  the  ball-room 
a  beggin'  me  to  dance  with  'em,  or  I  kin  go  inter  a  beer-hall 
an'  dance  with  the  best  of 'em."  "  Evidentlj-  you  're  not 
proud."  "  No,  I  ain't  ;  but  you  seem  to  be.  You  keep  by 
yourself  and  seem  to  be  stuck  on  your  own  sassietj''.  Why 
don't  you  give  some  o'  us  the  benefit  o'  your  conversation, 
inste'd  o'  writin'  all  the  time  ?  Why  don't  you  never  dance 
when  everybody  else  does  ?  Ain't  that  coz  j'ou  're  proud  ? 
Now  you  might  n't  think  it  of  so  heavj'  a  man  as  me,  but  I 
tell  you  there  ain't  no  one  in  it  so  far  as  dancin'  's  concerned. 
I  've  been  the  prize  dancer  all  over  the  United  States,  and 
people  mostly  is  proud  to  get  me  for  a  partner.  Anyway, 
it  's  the  first  time  I  '\^e  asked  and  been  refused,  and  it  's 
gallin' — that  's  what  it  is."  He  was  finally  mollified,  and 
his  wounds  healed  by  hearing  that  no  one  else  should  be 
granted  the  privilege  which  he  had  not  been  able  to  obtain. 

June  24th. 
Shouts  of  "  land,"  awakened  passengers  this  morning,  and 
King  Island  was  announced,  but,  unfortunately,  it  was  too 
far  off  for  pictures  to  be  taken.  After  luncheon  there  was 
great  excitement,  and  the  upper,  or  shade  deck,  was  crowded 
by  many  who  gazed  upon  icebergs  for  the  first  time.  Down 
they  floated  towards  us,  singly,  and  in  fantastic  shapes.  We 
steamed  through  them  carefully — then  the  pulse-beats  of  the 
engine  were  slowed,  as  we  saw  in  the  distance  what  seemed 


Land  in 


Sight ! 


23 


to  be  an  impenetrable  barricade,  and  we  began  to  realise  the 
meaning  of  the  old  sa3'ing,  "  We  could  hear  ourselves  think. " 
A  man  was  sent  aloft  to  indicate  a  passageway.  To  our  inex- 
perienced eyes,  that  long  wall  of  ice  before  us  seemed  to  shut 
out  all  hope  of  entrance,  but  the  sailor  guided  ns  to  a  narrow 
doorway  through  which  we  passed  into  a  clear  sea.  Not  for 
long,  however,  did  we  steam  at  full  speed.  Far  in  the  dis- 
tance a  small  cake  of  ice  appeared,  then  another,  and  still 
another,  until  we  were  soon  in  what  could  onlv  be  termed  an 


TEN    O'CLOCK    AND    THE    SUN    WAS   SETTING.' 


ice-field,  with  the  stillness  of  death  around  and  not  even  the 
voice  of  a  bird  calling  to  its  mate  to  be  heard.  It  is  difficult 
to  describe  the  solemn  stillness  which  pervades  this  vast  re- 
gion, dotted  with  ice-floes  speeding  noiselessly  to  destruction ; 
the  silence  unbroken  bj-  a  single  .sound  save  the  throbbing 
of  the  steamer  as  it  advanced  slowly  through  this  wilderness 


24 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


of  space.     Language  becomes  too  poverty  stricken  to  express 
the  awe  and  admiration  which  fill  the  soul  at  such  a  time. 

We  were  aroused  from  revery  by  hearing,  "  Yukon  's 
broken  up,  sure  enough.  Would  n't  a'  believed  she  could  a' 
held  so  much  ice.  We  're  all  right  to  go  in  now  if  the  river 
boat 's  waiting  for  us  as  the  Company  promised,  and  we  '11  be 
the  first  ones  in,  too.  Won't '  the  boys'  give  us  a  rousing  wel- 
come !  "  It  was  ten  o'clock  and  the  sun  was  setting.  How 
we  longed  for  the  perfection  of  colour  photography.  No 
artist  could  ever  have  placed  such  wonderful  shades  on  can- 
vas.    At  1 1  P.M.  our  kind  fellow-passenger,  Dr.  D ,  took 

this   photograph  for  me,  hearing  me  express  a  wish  for  the 
magnificent  cloud  effects. 


CHAPTER  IV 


ST.    MICHAELS 

June  25th. 

THE  dropping  of  the  anchor,  the  shouts,  the  lowering  of 
boats,  brought  many  a  head  to  the  windows.  Three 
bells  struck.  Only  half  after  five,  and  no  further  sleep,  for 
there  is  St.  Michaels,  flat  and  uninteresting  in  appearance 
from  this  distance  ;  nothing  to  be  seen  but  a  few  houses  and 
tents,  several  ships  and  barges.  We  hear  the  shout,  ' '  River 
has  been  open  two  weeks,"  so,  expecting  to  be  transferred 
at  once,  packing  begins,  and  plenty  of  it  there  is,  too,  after  a 
fortnight  at  sea.  At  eight  o'clock  we  were  told  that  there 
was  not  a  river  steamer  in,  and  that  we  might  be  obliged  to 
remain  on  board  a  week  or  more.  After  luncheon  everyone 
hung  about  the  gangway  in  "  store  clothes,"  ready  and  wait- 
ing for  an  opportunity  to  explore  St.  Michaels.  Finally 
someone  said  to  the  First  Officer,  "  Can't  we  go  ashore  ?  " 
"  Not  in  the  ship's  boats,"  replied  he  grufSy,  and  as  the 
barge  came  alongside,  on  which  the  river  freight  was  to  be 
stowed  he  gave  orders  to  rope  the  passageway,  and  we  were 
penned  in  like  a  lot  of  sheep.  Good  Father  R ap- 
proached, and,  listening  to  the  complaints,  which  were  loud 
and  long,  insisted  that  we  should  be  allowed  to  cross  before 
the  work  of  changing  freight  began.  He  was  assisted  in  his 
eiforts  by  a  man  who  seemed  to  be  in  charge  of  the  St. 
Michaels  department  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
and  who  proved  to  be  as  helpful  as  their  employees  generally 
are.  He  quickly  called  for  the  gangplank,  had  the  ropes 
cast  aside,  and  a  happy  lot  of  passengers  were  soon  on  the 
tug.     We  found  the  point  of  attraction  to  be  the  store  of  the 

25 


26  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Alaska  Commercial  Compan}-,  a  large  roomy  building  with 
post-office  in  one  corner,  similar  to  the  arrangement  at  the 
settlement  of  Iliuliuk,  Unalaska.  The  hooped  veils  were 
being  inquired  for  by  men  as  well  as  women,  who  expected 
■with  such  protection  to  be  able  to  escape  the  mosquito  pest 
which  makes  life  miserable  in  these  regions.  A  verj'  funny 
picture  was  thus  presented  as  we  looked  at  one  another 
through  such  novel  screens.  The  supply  soon  gave  out,  so 
an  enterprising  passenger  purchased  netting  and  wire  from 


1 


NOVEL  MOSQUITO  SCREENS. 

which  she  soon  fashioned  the  required  article,  for  which  she 
charged  and  received  one  dollar  each. 

On  to  the  Custom  House  I  went,  but  the  door  was  locked, 
and  the  Indian  on  the  porch  informed  me  that  the  Inspector 
was  taking  a  walk.  He  pointed  him  out  in  the  distance. 
I  followed,  soon  reached  the  end  of  the  plank  walk,  then 
struck  into  the  grass)',  muddy  soil,  jumped  several  ditches 
or  crossed  on  a  plank,  until  a  particularl)-  marshy  .spot  was 
reached,  over  which  the  Inspector,  his  wife,  and  friend  had 
easil}'  passed,  being  properlj-  shod  for  such  soil,  but  as  they 
were  within  hailing  distance,  I  called  out  and  told  my  errand, 
which  was,  that  as  our  Government  does  not  take  our  word. 


St.  Michaels  27 

even  under  oath,  it  would  be  necessary  for  me  to  have  my 
sealskin  wrap  stamped  before  going  into  British  territory, 
in  order  to  prove  on  mj-  return  that  I  was  not  swearing 
falsely  as  to  having  been  its  lawful  possessor  before  crossing 
the  boundary  line  ;  otherwise  I  must  be  deprived  of  it,  no 
matter  how  cold  the  weather,  or  submit  to  unjust  payment. 
Truly,  a  brilliant  idea,  which  Uncle  Sam  would  never  ap- 
prove of  could  he  but  realise  the  humiliation  thereof. 

Some  years  ago,  when  about  to  make  a  trip  through  Europe, 
a  brilliant  and  prominent  foreign  ambassador  kindly  pre- 
sented me  with  a  paper,  addressed  to  custom-house  officials, 
testifying  as  to  mj-  position  and  that  I  was  worthy  of  ever}' 
consideration.  This  not  onl^'  passed  me  through  every  custom- 
house of  the  Old  World,  but  caused  me  to  receive  the  most 
distinguished  marks  of  courtesy.  I  first  presented  it  in  Italy, 
where  the  chief  himself  came  to  see  that  my  boxes  were 
passed  and  asked  if  he  could  be  of  further  service.  After 
thanking  him  most  warmlj'  I  looked  about  for  someone  to 
fee.  I  tried  to  slip  a  sum  of  money  into  the  hand  of  one  of 
the  underlings  near  me,  but  he  drew  himself  up  and  said, 
"  Signora,  to  a  soldier  of  Italy,  never  !  "  On  ni}'  return  to 
New  York,  after  a  long  absence  from  "  ni}-  own,  my  native 
land,"  on  showing  this  paper  and  explaining  what  it  had 
done  for  me  in  other  parts  of  the  world,  I  meekly  said,  ' '  It 
is  probably  of  no  use  here,"  to  which  came  the  quick  reply, 
"  You  bet  your  sweet  life  it  ain't,"  and  the  gowns  which  had 
been  so  carefulh-  packed  were  tumbled  into  a  hopeless  mass 
of  chiffons,  which  caused  me  to  assert  mentally  that  if  ever 
women  do  have  their  rights,  and  should  I  have  a  little  brief 
authority,  my  first  movement  would  be  to  have  "  packers  " 
on  the  wharf  to  soothe  the  injured  feelings,  .smooth  out  the 
wrinkles,  and  repair  damages  done  b^'  this  insulting  search. 
Of  course  this  is  all  irrelevant,  but  I  feel  as  the  small  boy 
described  liis  mother's  state, — "  Ma  promised  she  would  n't 
tell  Pa,  but  she  jess  could  n't  help  it,  an'  now  she  's  done  it 
she  feels  bit  I!  v.'' 

When  the  St.  Michaels  Inspector  was  informed  that  I  had 
been  told  in  San  Francisco  that  it  would  be  easier  to  have  the 


28  Tno  Women  in  the  Klondike 

stamping  done  by  him,  he  replied,  "  Oh  yes  !  they  think  we 
have  nothing  to  do  up  here,  but  I  have  no  appliances  what- 
ever for  that  sort  of  thing  ;  however,  if  you  will  send  in  an 
application  describing  the  wrap,  and  have  the  purser  or 
someone,  sign  that  j-ou  purchased  it  in  the  United  States, 
then  I  will  make  out  a  paper  with  the  official  seal,  and  you 
may  sew  it  inside  the  lining.  This  ended  my  first  interview 
in  St.  Michaels.  I  took  snap-shots  of  manj-  of  the  little  one- 
story  houses  that  faced  the  water,  made  groups  of  small  In- 
dian children,  who  seemed  always  ready  to  be  photographed 
and  obeyed  readil3'  the  motion  of  the  hand.  The  interesting 
pamphlet  arranged  by  the  Ala.ska  Commercial  Company  tells 
us  that  "  the  natives  about  St.  Michaels  and  all  over  the  big 
Ynkon  delta,  are  Eskimo  belonging  to  that  strange  race 
which  stretches  from  the  domain  of  the  Aleuts  on  the  west 
to  '  Greenland's  icy  mountains '  on  the  east.  They  have 
nothing  in  common  with  the  Chukchi  of  the  easternmost 
Siberian  land,  any  more  than  they  have  with  the  Aleuts  of 
the  islands,  which  fact  has  gone  against  the  theory  of  the 
original  settlement  of  America  by  way  of  Bering  Strait. 
These  people  form  a  most  interesting  study  during  the  brief 
wait  at  St.  Michaels,  while  baggage  and  freight  are  being 
transferred  from  the  ocean  liners  to  one  of  the  swift  and 
commodious  river  steamers.  They  are  among  the  mildest, 
and  unquestionably  the  filthiest  of  humankind.  Personal 
cleanliness  in  the  winter  is  entirely  unattempted.  The 
Eskimo  diet  con.sists  principallj-  of  rotted  fish  and  rancid  seal 
oil,  which  give  to  their  habitations  an  odour  from  which  the 
nostril  of  the  white  man  recoils.  Though  lazy  and  improvid- 
ent past  all  belief,  they  are  tractable,  have  the  powers  of 
mimicry  exceptionably  developed,  readily  unravel  the  puz- 
zles of  white  children,  and  even  master  chess  in  a  waj'  to 
put  to  shame  their  missionary  teachers."  It  then  goes  on 
with  a  description  of  the  geese,  ducks,  snipe,  and  other 
water  fowl  in  countless  thousands,  willow  grouse,  deer, 
caribou,  and  larger  game,  while  the  fishing  "  is  merely  a 
matter  of  dropping  in  a  line  with  properly  baited  hooks, 
when  the  creel  of  the  angler  will  soon  be  full." 


St.  Michaels 


29 


Time  and  space  will  not  permit  me  to  give  lurther  ex- 
tracts in  regard  to  the  historj-  of  St.  Michaels,  nor  the  ro- 
mantic story  of  how  a  massacre  was  averted  b\-  a  warning 
given  through  an  Indian  maiden  to  her  white  lover  in  the 
fort;  while,  as  for  the  "outfit"  instructions,  already  too 
many  books  have  been  published  on  the  subject.  I  paid  a 
visit  to  the  Russian  priest,  but  he  proved  so  uncommunicat- 
ive that,  aside  from  learning  that  he  had  been  there  since 


ON    BOARD   THE    ST.    PAUL. 


1882,  there  was  no  other  information  of  value  to  be  obtained. 
He  devoted  but  five  moments  to  showing  me  the  interior  of 
the  church.  As  I,  in  parting,  slipped  fifty  cents  into  the 
hand  of  his  attendant,  he  whispered  to  the  priest,  "  ichi  ban." 
This  incident  is  only  worth  relating  because  these  Indians 
had  already  seemed  to  me  ver}'  much  like  the  Japanese  (except 
that  the  latter  are  probably  the  cleanest  race  in  the  world) 
and  "  /(■/;/  ban  "  is  Japanese  for  number  one,  or  "  first  class." 


^o 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


It  was  pleasant  to  return  to  the  cool,  comfortable  ship  after 
such  unwonted  exercise.  Those  who  had  visited  the  native 
quarters,  advised  us  b_v  all  means  to  avoid  them.  Old  Alaskan 
travellers  on  board  told  of  a  dance  that  could  be  seen,  by 
crawling  through  a  hole  and  then  dropping  into  a  cavern. 
The  dancers  enter  from  a  subterranean  passage,  and  perform 
until  exhausted.  The  greatest  objection  to  being  one  of  the 
audience  (we  were  informed)  is,  that  one  reaches  da\-light 
with  clothing  so  covered  with  vermin  that  it  is  unfit  for 
further  service.  I  innocently  asked  if  we  might  not  hire  the 
dancers  to  entertain  us  in  open  air,  but  was  laughingly  told 
that  underground  performances  would  not  be  appropriate  to 
such  changed  surroundings.  Six  bells!  and  it  was  still  light, 
and  difficult  to  imagine  that  it  lacked  but  oue  hour  of  mid- 
night. 


^^^SfclUS^ 


CHAPTER  V 

A   TRIAL   OF   PATIENCE 

Sunday,  June  26th. 

THERE  is  something  decidedly  wrong  with  the  water- 
tanks,  and  the  water  has  been  growing  worse  daily. 
Stories  vary,  as  do  all  stories  on  board  ship.  The  popular 
theory  is,  that  the  oil  from  the  machinery  has  leaked  into 
the  tanks  ;  it  is  also  said  that  they  are  trying  to  make  them 
less  porous,  but  their  efforts  prove  the  remedy  worse  than 
the  disease,  so  that,  to  quench  one's  thirst  in  "  Adam's  ale  " 
means  accepting  a  most  nauseating  dose.  It  is  a  great  pity, 
for  we  have  been  given  an  unusually  fine  chef  ;  not  even 
on  the  Atlantic  greyhounds  have  such  delicious  and  tempt- 
ing dishes  been  placed  on  the  table,  but  for  those  who  care 
not  for  wine,  nor  tea,  nor  coffee — well,  perhaps  they  are  to 
blame  for  not  being  more  "  up  to  date."  We  take  into  con- 
sideration that  this  is  the  St.  Paul's  first  trip  and  that  any 
slight  defect  will  be  remedied  before  a  second  voyage,  but 
that  is  not  verj-  consoling  at  the  present  moment. 

A  party  is  just  returning  from  a  morning  spent  on  shore. 
One  of  the  passengers  whom  we  have  named  "  the  cherub  " 
climbs  the  ladder  and  shouts  enthusiastically  ;  "  Oh,  every- 
one on  shore  tells  me  that  my  brother  Harry  is  a  multi- 
millionaire ;  that  he  owns  dozens  of  claims,  and  has  sent 
word  for  me  to  join  him  in  Dawson  at  once."  And  as  the 
"  cherub"  seated  himself  at  my  side,  he  gave  me  a  little 
sketch  of  his  life.  Every  one  rejoiced  at  the  "  cherub's"  good 
news,  as  his  kindliness  had  endeared  him  to  the  roughest  on 
board,  so  that  many  and  fervent  were  the  wishes  that  he  was 


32  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

not  being  deceived  by  a  "  Yukon  lie."     Next  came  one  of 

the  passengers,  a  Mr.  Q ,  who  said  that  he  had  decided 

to  winter  at  Dawson,  and  offered  me  his  return  ticket  for  one 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  saying  that  if  purchased  at  the 
office  of  the  Company  its  price  would  be  three  hundred  dol- 
lars. Woman's  love  for  a  bargain  caused  me  to  consider 
the  proposition,  but  upon  consulting  someone  able  to  give 
me  good  counsel,  I  was  advised  :  "  Buj'  3'our  ticket  only 
when  you  are  quite  ready  to  return  ;  there  will  soon  be  much 
competition  on  the  river,  and  prices  are  likely  to  tumble,  so 
that  '  sufficient  unto  the  daj','  etc.,  should  be  borne  in 
mind." 

And  now  the  question  is  a.sked  on  all  sides,  "  How  soon 
may  we  leave  St.  Michaels  ?  "  In  San  Francisco,  where  many 
Alaskan  companies  were  trjdng  to  cut  each  other's  throats, 
we  were  told  at  difTerent  offices  :  ''Our  river  boats  are  at  St. 
Michaels  waiting  the  arrival  of  our  ocean  steamers.  No  mat- 
ter what  you  may  be  told  by  other  representatives,  they  have 
710  river  boats  there,  of  that  we  can  assure  j-ou,  and  j-ou  may 
be  obliged  to  wait  at  St.  Michaels  all  sunniier  if  you  fail  to 
exercise  great  care  in  the  selection  of  the  line  bj'  which  you 
go.  We  make  immediate  connection,  and,  by  booking  here, 
you  will  be  the  first  up  the  Yukon  to  Dawson."  Well,  we 
followed  the  best  of  advice,  selected  the  line  of  the  oldest 
and  most  reliable  compau}',  and  here  we  are,  and  here  we 
are  likely  to  remain,  the  Lord  knows  how  long  ;  for  the  water 
in  the  Yukon  is  so  low,  we  are  told,  that  all  of  the  Company's 
river  steamers  are  high  and  dry  on  bars.  The  pessimists 
say,  that  "  the  tide  will  not  rise  sufficiently  to  release  them 
from  imprisonment,  and  that  even  should  we  succeed  in 
reaching  Dawson  there  will  be  no  possible  chance  of  return- 
ing before  next  year."  Such  stories,  however,  are  always 
received  bj'  me  with  a  very  big  grain  of  salt  ;  so  I  am  not 
ready  to  listen  to  the  wiseacres  who  say,  "  Take  my  advice 
and  turn  back  ere  it  be  too  late." 

A  negro  on  shore  entertained  a  group  of  listeners  yester- 
daj'  with  the  following  :  "  Git  ter  Dawson  ?  Mebbe  you 
thinks  you  's  a  gwine  to  git  dar  ;  that  's  what  I  thought 


A  Trial  of  Patience  33 

when  they  dropped  me  yere  ten  days  ago,  but  I  ain't  a  think- 
in'  that  no  more.  Every  day  they  's  said,  '  River  steamer 
comin'  sure  to-day  !  '  I  's  heard  dat  for  ten  days — yes, 
siri?f  !  ten  days  I  been  here  a  waitin'  on  it — same  old  story 
eb'ry  day  for  ten  days  an'  mebbe  after  you  all  's  been  a 
waitin'  ten  days  you  won't  believe  no  more  'bout  dem  ribber 
steamers  dan  I  do." 

Not  far  from  our  anchorage  a  barge  is  being  constructed 
which  we  are  told  will  soon  be  finished — some  say  in  a  week  ; 
others,  in  a  day  or  two.  There  is  a  tiny  river  steamer  near, 
which  might  carry  some  of  our  ninety-four  passengers,  three 
in  a  room. 

Monday,  June  aytb. 

So  many  wild  tales  of  detention  here  were  floating  about 
the  ship  last  evening,  that,  when  we  heard  that  according  to 
the  latest  yarn  we  should  have  at  least  a  fortnight  to  remain, 
it  seemed  to  me  quite  necessary  to  get  facts  from  head- 
quarters ;  so,  sending  for  one  of  the  owners,  who  was 
himself  a  passenger  from  San  Francisco  to  St.  Michaels,  I  re- 
quested him  kindly  to  put  all  doubts  and  conjectures  at  an 
end,  and  reveal  to  us  our  fate.  He  said  that  only  once  in 
ten  years  could  it  happen  as  at  present,  that  there  would  be 
nothing  ready  to  take  us  up  the  Yukon.  The  boats  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  had  always  been  the  first  to 
enter  the  river,  but  this  j'ear,  owing  to  the  very  low  state  of 
the  water,  they  are  grounded,  and  their  new  steamers  are 
not  quite  finished.  "  However,"  added  he,  "  one  is  so 
nearly  ready  that  we  hope  to  be  able  to  transfer  the  pas- 
sengers in  a  day  or  two.  It  will  accommodate  about  forty, 
while  the  others  will  have  good  quarters  prepared  for  them 
on  the  freight  barge. ' '  To  my  question  as  to  how  the  cabi  ns 
would  be  lighted,  he  smiled  and  said,  "  Oh,  you  won't  need 
artificial  light  where  you  are  going."  He  then  kindly 
offered  to  have  my  sealskin  marked,  to  save  me  the  trouble 
of  visiting  St.  Michaels  again.  At  lo  p.m.,  while  sitting  on 
deck  reading  by  the  light  of  the  setting  sun,  the  "  cherub  " 
came  to  inform  me  that  the  Roanoke  was  coming  into  the 

3 


34  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

harbour,  towing  two  river  steamers,  which,  we  were  in- 
formed, were  freighted,  and  ready  to  make  the  trip  to  Daw- 
son without  delay.  How  we  groaned  !  we,  who  had  had  the 
advantage  of  being  the  first  to  reach  St.  Michaels,  could  not 
bear  the  thought  of  being  passed  by  the  Roanoke,  or  any 
other  ship.  What  sympathy  we  felt  for  some  of  our  fellow- 
passerigers  who  were  taking  in  large  cargoes  whose  value 
would  be  greatly  depreciated  in  case  of  not  arriving  on  time, 
and  here  we  had  not  only  the  Roanoke  to  contend  with  but 
another  steamer  of  the  Columbia  Navigation  Company. 
Two  rivals  ! 

A  Mr.  S ,  of  Brooklyn  came  on  board  and  was  pre- 
sented to  us.     Said  he  had  married  Miss  I, ,  of  same 

town,  who  was  urging  him  to  return,  "  with  or  without  his 
pile,"  but  as  he  had  staked  claims  about  Rampart  City,  he 
thought  it  unwise  to  abandon  them,  for  he  considered  that 
the  first  year  was  only  a  preparation  for  the  real  work  of  the 
3-ear  to  follow.  His  stories  of  camp  experience  were  most 
interesting,  but  as  we  expect  to  have  personal  ones,  his  will 
not  be  recorded. 

Tuesday,  June  2Sth. 

Still  in  the  harbour  of  St.  Michaels  with  "  all  hands  "  im- 
patient and  growling  at  the  detention  ;  however,  the  old 
saying  that  "  misery  loves  company,"  seems  most  true  in 
this  case  and  few  there  are  who  are  not  delighted  to  know 
that  although  the  Roanoke  and  the  steamer  of  the  Columbia 
Navigation  Company  towed  their  own  river  boats,  for  some 
as  yet  unexplained  reason  they  are  not  able  to  go  farther. 
Those  who  have  cargo  on  board  are  almost  frantic  at  the 
thought  of  prospective  losses  through  this  dela}',  while  the 
less  interested  members  of  the  part}'  fear  that  the  best  claims, 
houses,  and  sites  will  be  gobbled  up  before  our  arrival. 
Meanwhile,  all  are  praying  that  the  Portland,  with  our  new 
river  boat,  may  be  seen  soon  entering  the  harbour,  and  are 
straining  their  eyes  in  search  of  her.  What  a  lottery  is  life  ! 
and  how  our  fortunes  hang  upon  the  slightest  contingency. 
This  afternoon,   while  almost  all  our  passengers  were  on 


36  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

shore,  I  remained  to  give  the  dogs  a  run,  and  was  well  re- 
paid for  it  by  a  visit  from  a  New  York  man  who  is  on  his 
way  home,  having  "  made  his  pile."  Only  eight  days  ago 
he  was  in  Dawson,  so  was  able  to  clinch  the  "  Yukon  lies," 
and  give  me  late  information.  According  to  his  story,  the 
river  has  never  before  been  so  low.  Steamers  are  lying 
aground  all  along  its  banks.  They  have  little  chance  of 
coming  down,  nor  have  we  of  going  up,  unless  a  heavy  rain 
sets  in,  for  the  snow  and  ice  have  already  melted  and  disap- 
peared. Nothing  can  go  through  now  drawing  more  than 
scant  four  feet  of  water.  My  informant  left  Dawson  on  a 
tiny  steamer  .scarcely  fitted  to  carrj'  twentj'-five  of  the  hun- 
dred men  who  crowded  it,  but  so  determined  were  they  to 
reach  the  "  outside,"  that,  although  they  were  literally 
wedged  in  like  sardines,  no  complaint  did  they  utter.  He 
was  surprised  and  amused  at  the  questions  that  people  put 
to  him  simply  because  of  his  having  wintered  in  Dawson, 
and  said  indignantly,  "  Why,  one  woman  even  asked  me 
how  much  mone\-  I  had  made  this  year,  and  did  not  seem  to 
realise  the  impertinence  of  the  question,  so  I  told  her  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  (might  as  well  have  said  that  as 
anything  else),  and  she  replied,  '  Oh,  how  nice  !  Annie, 
come  here  !  Here  's  a  gentleman  who  's  just  made  seven 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  Dawson  this  winter  ! 
Just  look  at  him  !  '  and  they  stared  at  me  as  though  I  were 
a  wild  animal  !  "  He  laughed  heartily  at  the  tale  that  we 
should  be  obliged  to  pay  one  thousand  dollars  a  month 
ground-rent  for  a  place  to  pitch  our  tent,  and  said,  "  Al- 
though Dawson  is  now  so  crowded  that  men  jostle  each 
other  in  walking,  prices  have  not  begun  to  reach  that  figure 
except  in  the  business  street  on  the  water-front."  Upon 
telling  him  that  I  had  the  option  on  a  house  and  lot  with  a 
spring  on  the  ground,  for  two  thousand  dollars,  he  advised 
me  not  to  conclude  the  bargain  until  after  having  seen  the 
habitation. 

Another  visitor  was  a  most  interesting  man  who  had 
staked  .some  claims  on  the  Koyukuk  River  and  was  about  to 
return  to  work  them,  but  as  many  of  our  passengers  arrived 


A  Trial  of  Patience 


2,7 


just  then  from  an  afternoon  on  shore  and  all  were  desirous 
of  obtaining'  information  from  him,  I  returned  to  my  writing. 
While  at  dinner,  the  steward  announced  that  a  lady  on  deck 

wished  to  see  me.     "  Who  can  it  be  ?  "  said  E .     "  You 

know  nobody  in  St.  Michaels."     I  rushed  up,  to  find  Mrs. 

U ,  of  Chicago,  whom  I  had  last   seen  a   schoolgirl  at 

Fraulein  H 's  "  pension  for  young  ladies,"  in  Dresden. 

The  astonishing  part  of  the  incident  was  that  she  was  a  pas- 
senger on  one  of  our  rival  ships — the  Roanoke,  on  her  way  to 
join  her  husband,  who  was  engaged  in  stock- brokerage  and 
real  estate  in  Dawson.  Onlj-  a  short  time  had  we  for  remi- 
niscences, as  Mrs.  U was  engaged  to  dine  on  the  Bear. 

After  her  departure,  a  small  party  of  us  spent  the  evening 
on  the  upper  deck  watching  the  glorious  sunset,  after  which 

Dr.  D took  some  midnight  photographs  which  were  very 

successful. 


S  li  <»    Q  cj' 


CHAPTER  VI 

WE   MEET   OLD   FRIENDS 

Wednesday,  June  29th. 

GOOD-MORNING,"  said  a  pleasant  voice  at  mj-  win- 
dow.    "  Your  friend  Mrs.  U ,  is  coming  over 

from  the  Roanoke  to  dine  with  me  this  evening,  and  I  came 
to  ask  if  you  would  join  us  at  half  after  seven.  We  shall  be 
twenty-five  at  table,  and  only  six  of  the  party  ladies." 
"  How  delightful  !  quite  makes  one  feel  as  though  at  home 
again,"  and  a  hasty  search  is  begun  in  the  steamer  trunk  in 
order  to  find  something  worthy  of  so  unusual  an  event,  be- 
fore resuming  the  writing  of  home  letters,  as  this  may  be 
the  last  opportunity  for  many  a  long  day,  and  it  helps  to 
pass  the  weary  hours  of  waiting  for  the  river  boat  which 
never  comes. 

Later.  Did  not  go  on  shore  to-day  as  the  water  is  so 
rough  and  the  facilities  for  landing  so  poor  that  the  tempta- 
tion was  not  sufficiently  great.  Those  who  made  the  trip 
were  obliged  to  climb  ladders  and  perform  gymnastic  feats, 
before  reaching  Icira  firma,  while  some  waited  hours  for  the 
return  tug,  as  rowboats  were  out  of  the  question.  The 
New  York  man  called  again,  and  among  other  stories, 
told  us  of  a  Klondiker,  who  had  taken  a  frozen  turkey  to 
Dawson,  for  which  he  was  immediately  offered  one  hundred 
and  fifty  dollars,  but  refused,  preferring  to  raffle  it.  The 
result  was  that  he  pocketed  three  hundred  dollars  by  this 
proceeding. 

The  monotony  on  board  was  varied  this  afternoon  by  the 

kindness  of  Dr.  D and  Mr.  H ,  who  gave  me  my 

first  lesson  in  developing  photographs. 

38 


We  Meet  Old  Friends  39 

Thursday,  June  30th. 

Such  a  brilliant  entertainment  and  delicious  dinner  as  we 
enjo3'ed  last  evening  must  be  recorded  as  one  of  the  most 
pleasing  incidents  of  our  trip,  no  matter  what  delightful 
events  fate  may  still  have  in  store  for  us.     Our  host,  Mr. 

R ,  has  evidentlj-  had  good  experience  in  entertaining, 

judging  from  the  very  successful  result.  My  near  neighbours 
at  table  were  the  Captain  of  the  Dear,  who,  with  his  inex- 
haustible fund  of  amusing  and  instructive  stories,  divided 

honours  with  brilliant  Mr.S .whose  conversation  sparkled 

with  witticisms  and  repartee.  The  dinner  could  not  have 
been  surpassed,  even  "Eastern  oj-sters "  being  supplied. 
During  the  feast  we  were  regaled  by  the  music  of  mandolin 
and  banjo,  and,  later,  adjourned  to  the  large  hall  below  the 
main-deck,  where  dancing  was  enjoyed  until  one  o'clock. 
As  I  started  then  to  take  leave,  protests  were  heard  on  all 
sides.  "  Don't  break  up  the  party  so  soon.  Whj',  it 's  still 
daylight;  how  can  one  go  to  bed  before  dark  ?  "  etc. 

To-day,  after  luncheon.  Captain  T ,  commander  of  the 

Bear,  called  for  a  party  of  us  to  spend  the  afternoon  on  board 
his  craft.  We  met  there  a  number  of  passengers  from  the 
Roanoke,  the  general  and  officers  from  the  station,  and  the 
elite  of  St.  Michaels,  besides  three  officers  of  the  U.  S.  S. 
Wheeling,  which  had  just  come  into  the  harbour.  The 
genial  Captain  entertained  us  most  charmingly,  and  as  I 
was  leaving,  presented  me  with  an  excellent  photograph  of 
the  St.  Paul. 

After  dinner  the  steward  handed  me  the  card  of  Captain 

S ,  commanding  the  U.  S.  S.  Wheeling.     The  St.  PauTs 

captain  kindly  offered  his  cabin  as  a  reception-room,  which 

E and  I  gladly  accepted,  delighted  to  have  an  evening 

with  an  old  friend.  He  expressed  great  astonishment  at  our 
desire  to  visit  so  uncivilised  a  portion  of  the  globe,  and  kindly 
asked  to  be  called  upon  in  case  he  could  be  ser\'iceable  to  us 
in  any  way. 

July  1st. 

After  man}'  days  without  going  ashore,  I  went  this  morn- 
ing under  the  escort  of  the  Doctor,  who  assisted  me  over  the 


40  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ditches,  in  the  tramp  to  "  Hotel  Fort  Get  There."  Many- 
times  we  stopped  for  a  group  or  a  novel  view.  The  exterior 
of  the  modern  hotel  was  really  far  superior  to  anything  we 
had  imagined.  There  were  rocking-chairs  on  the  balcony 
and  a  piano  in  the  drawing-room.  Crowds  of  miners  everj^- 
where.  Mrs.  U (who,  in  common  with  all  other  pas- 
sengers of  the  Roanoke,  had  been  landed  at  St.  Michaels, 
there  to  remain  until  time  for  the  departure  to  Dawson)  was 
at  home,  received  us  at  once,  and  complied  readil}-  with  my 
request  to  allow  me  to  peep  at  her  room.  I  supposed  it 
would  be  very  tiny,  but  that  it  would  be  at  least  all  her  own. 
Tiny  it  was,  but  to  mj-  astonishment  there  was  a  bed  in  each 
of  the  four  corners,  and  above  these  beds  other  four.  There 
were  two  women  dressing  in  the  small  space  in  the  centre. 
Handsome  silk  gowns  hanging  on  rusty  nails  looked  most 
incongruous.  Just  a  board  floor  with  not  even  a  rug.  Two 
Chinamen  rapped  at  the  door  to  ask  if  they  might  "  do  the 
room,  Missie  ?  "  I  begged  permission  to  photograph  just 
one  corner,  which  was  granted  upon  condition  that  I  would 

not  send  the  photograph  to  H ,  "  for  she  will  be  sure  to 

say,"  added  Mrs.  U ,  "  same  old  Minnie — room  always 

in  disorder."  The  light  was  so  poor  that  the  result  is  sure 
to  be  unsatisfactory.  I  asked  for  a  glass  of  water,  which 
was  brought  in  a  tin  cup  !     The  colour  of  the  water  was  that 

of  weak  coffee,  but  the  taste  was  delicious.    With  Mrs.  U 

accompanying  us,  we  inspected  the  storehouse,  but  the  mos- 
quitoes were  so  thick  and  ravenous,  that,  although  men  and 
women  were  lieavil}'  veiled,  there  was  not  much  relief  to  be 
found,  as  the  insects,  which  have  not  learned  to  sing  as  do 
their  cousins  at  home,  were  able  to  crawl  under  the  screens 
undetected. 

We  walked   back    to  St.  Michaels,  where,   meeting   Mr. 

S ,  he  was  kind  enough  to  accompany  me  to  the  custom 

house  to  get  the  certificate  which  he  had  not  yet  been  able 
to  secure.     It  seemed  such  a  farce  that  he  should  be  called 

upon  to  testif}'  that  E 's  sealskin   wrap  and  mine  had 

come  from  the  United  States.  He  then  escorted  me  to  the 
barge,  which  was  being  prepared  to  take  us  up  the  river. 


'We  Meet  Old  Friends 


41 


Every  carpenter  in  St.  Michaels  had  been  secured  to  work 
night  and  day,  so  we  still  have  hopes  of  reaching  Dawson 
before  the  others,  even  though  we  are  making  a  late  start. 
On  returning  to  the  S/.  Paul,  we  photographed  four  natives 
in  their  k  a  }•  a  k  s , 
which  they  handle 
in  the  most  marvel- 
lous manner.  Our 
passengers,  who  try 
them  for  the  first 
time,  are  unable  to 
balance  themselves, 
but  the  Company's 
pamphlet  tells  us 
that  the  Indians 
"  venture  in  these 
skin -boats  into 
troubled  seas;  with 
a  flirt  of  the  paddle 
turn  themselves 
completelj-  over, 
bobbing    up     after 

completing  the  under-water  round  as  lightly  as  so  many 
corks,  and  in  these  frail  cockle-shells  hunt  the  leviathans 
of  the  deep."  Thej'  remind  one  of  the  Japanese,  and  have 
the  same  good-natured,  smiling  faces  ;  they  laugh  heartilj' 
as  Europeans  try  to  bargain  with  them,  taking  as  a  huge 
joke  the  offer  of  two  dollars  for  an  article  which  they  are  pre- 
senting at  double  that  price,  and,  finally,  they  paddle  away 
without  having  made  a  sale,  but  looking  as  happy  as  though 
the}-  had  accomplished  a  successful  stroke  of  business. 

An  interesting  visit  this  afternoon  was  from  a  man  who 
carried  mail  over  the  Pass  to  Dawson.  Government  facili- 
ties being  far  from  satisfactory,  the  miners  at  Dawson — rich 
and  poor — longing  for  news  from  home  had  promised  one 
dollar  a  letter  to  an}-one  brave  enough  to  undertake  the 
perilous  trip.  "  I  needed  the  money,"  said  our  visitor, 
"  and   so  took  the  job,   but  was  detained  and  delaj-ed  by 


ALASKAN    INDIANS    IN    KAYAKS. 


42  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

many  hard  and  unpleasant  experiences,  until,  just  before 
getting  back,  a  friend  came  to  meet  me  and  said  that  as  I 
had  been  so  long  on  the  trail  the  miners  had  held  a  meeting 
and  decided  that  thej'  would  not  pay  me.  I  just  walked 
right  in,  put  the  mail  on  the  table,  put  my  shooter  on  top 
of  it,  and  said,  '  Gentlemen,  you  are  several  hundred,  and 
I  'm  one  and  unarmed,  but  not  a  man  touches  a  letter 
without  paying  his  dollar  for  it  ;  otherwise,  back  they  go  to 
the  post-office  from  whence  they  came.'  Well,  I  got  four 
thousand  dollars  on  that  one  job.  I  came  here  without 
a  penny,  from  a  farm  that  did  n't  pa)-.  The  first  year  I 
sent  three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  home  to  mj-  wife  and 
children  ;  the  next  year  seven  hundred  dollars  ;  each 
3'ear  more,  and  now  I  'm  sending  three  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars  at  a  time.  Have  been  out  here  seven  years, 
and  intended  to  go  home  this  month,  but  mj-  three  part- 
ners all  went  home  at  this  season  of  the  year,  and  the 
summer  heat  killed  'em.  So  I  'm  a-goin'  to  wait  till 
autumn.  I  've  got  plenty  o'  claims  an'  I  '11  sell  every  one 
so  soon  as  I  can  get  my  price,"  added  he,  with  a  wink,  as 
he  went  over  the  side  to  take  the  tug  for  shore.  "  What 
did  you  think  of  your  visitor?"  said  a  passenger  to  me. 
"  Most  entertaining,"  I  replied.  "  Other  people  think  so, 
too,"  said  he,  "  or  at  least  I  suppose  so,  as  he  has  earned 
the  name  of  '  Windy  Bill.'  " 

At    10.30    P.M.    Dr.    D approached   rapidly,    saj-ing, 

"  Come  to  the  stern  of  the  boat;  I  want  to  show  3'ou  an  un- 
usual sight."  The  "cherub"  and  I  followed,  wondering 
and  silent,  until  the  Doctor  said,  "  Look  !  "  A  great  ball 
of  fire  was  ri.sing  in  the  east — in  the  west,  a  similar  ball  of 
fire  was  sinking.  The  grandeur  and  magnificence  were  so 
impressive  that  we  gazed  in  silence  upon  the  wondrous  works 
of  the  Lord. 

July  2d. 

There  are  so  many  prognostications  that  we  may  not  be 
able  to  get  "  out  "  (entering  Alaska  is  always  spoken  of  as 
"  going  in;  "  leaving  it,  as  "  going  out  "  )  this  winter,  that  I 
am  sending  home  by  this  mail  to  get  an  outfit  for  developing 


We  Meet  Old  Friends  43 

photographs,  as  the  Doctor  has  been  good  enough  to  promise 

me  all  necessary  instructions. 

Later.     A  man-of-war's  boat  came  alongside.     An  officer 
in  unifonn   boarded  the  SL   Paid,   and  inquired   for  Mrs. 

H .     It  was  my  old  friend,  Lieutenant  C ,  who  said: 

"  How  unexpectedly  we  meet,  and  in  what  curious  parts  of 
the  world.  I  could  scarcely  believe  it  possible  when  I  heard 
that  you  were  here,  on  3'our  way  to  Dawson.  Whoever 
would  have  dreamed  of  j'our  becoming  one  of  a  band  of 
pioneers."  Reminiscences  of  life  in  Europe,  Japan,  and  at  a 
certain  navy  yard  not  far  from  San  Francisco  made  the 
evening  pass  rapidly.     We  were  joined  by  Captain  S — ■ — 

and  Lieutenant  T of  the  Wheeling,  and,  although  it  was 

9  P.M.  I  photographed  the  group  on  the  upper  deck  success- 
fully. After  they  left,  we  chatted  with  the  Doctor,  the 
"  cherub,"  and  Mr.  R until  six  bells  struck  and  re- 
minded us,  that,  although  still  so  light  that  the  canary  was 
singing  and  the  dogs  could  not  decide  to  enter  their  tent,  it 
was  quite  time  for  us  to  separate. 

July  3d. 

A  cold,  rough,  rainj-,  windy  day,  the  steam  turned  on, 
and  everyone  trying  to  keep  warm.     At  half  after  eleven 

Captain  S came  to  take  us  to  lunch  with  him  on  the 

Wheeling.  We  were  obliged  to  watch  our  chance  as  the  seas 
dashed  against  the  side  of  the  boat  and  jump  into  the  steam 
launch  as  she  rose.  After  an  exciting  spin  across,  we  found 
ourselves  once  more  upon  the  deck  of  an  American  man-of- 
war.  We  were  so  delightfully  entertained,  that  we  might 
have  found  it  difficult  to  make  our  adieux  had  we  not  hap- 
pened to  see  the  arrival  of  another  steamer  from  Dawson, 
the  sight  of  which  put  us  in  a  feverish  state  of  excitement  to 
obtain  the  latest  news  from  our  future  home.  Our  first  news 
was,  that  the  "  cherub's  "  brother  had  arrived,  and  presented 
him  with  any  number  of  claims,  to  sell  or  to  work  as  he 
pleased  ;  the  dear  "  cherub's"  face  was  beaming,  and  we, 
in  common  with  others  rejoiced  at  his  good  fortune.  The 
captain  exclaimed,  "  I  'm  glad  those  boys  are  in  luck,  for 
their  mother  is  one  of  the  loveliest  of  women." 


44 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Wild  stories  were  circulated  bj-  the  new  arrivals,  and  we 
could  choose  for  ourselves  those  we  thought  most  worthy 
of  credence.  Some  said  they  were  leaving  enormously  rich 
claims  behind  them,  as  it  did  not  pay  to  work  them  with 
Canadian  laws  becoming  more  stringent  and  the  royalty  so 
exorbitant.  They  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  a  syndi- 
cate was  trying  to  force  the  true  owners  out,  and  take  pos- 


SUCCESSFUL    MINERS    RETURNING    HOME. 


session  of  the  abandoned  property.  On  one  side  we  heard 
that  those  in  Dawson  were  so  wealthy  that  they  did  not  care 
what  they  paid  for  desired  articles;  on  the  other,  they  were 
so  poor  that  they  were  unable  to  raise  the  money  to  leave  the 
countrj-;  as  for  our  informants,  they  declared  that  they  were 
taking  out  two  millions  among  them,  while  there  was  five 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  in  the  safe  of  their 
steamer, — which  may  or  may  not  be  true. 


We  Meet  Old  Friends  45 

The  Doctor,  who  has  become  enthused  with  the  unlimited 
possibilities  in  this  wonderful  countrj-,  has  decided  finally  to 
remain  for  the  winter,  and  is  now  fitting  himself  out  with 
furs  and  other  necessary  articles,  as  are  many  of  the  pas- 
sengers, who  came  only  "  to  see,"  but  remain  hoping  to 
conquer.  E— —  and  I  have  already  grub-staked  trusty 
men,  to  go  to  the  rich  Koyukuk  River — ^two  we  have  sent  in 
with  supplies  for  two  years  each,  while  to  another  we  have 
given  a  suflEcient  amount  for  assessment  work  on  six  claims. 
All  in  life  is  a  lotterj-.  One  prize  from  this  river,  which  we 
consider  the  richest  in  Alaska,  would  more  than  repay  us. 

Midnight.  Such  excitement  !  The  Bella  came  in  from 
Dawson  this  evening,  towing  a  barge  containing  over  two 
hundred  passengers,  and,  although  it  was  still  raining,  they 
had  but  a  canvas  cover  over  their  sleeping  accommodations. 
As  the  barge  was  made  fast  to  the  St.  Paul,  we  watched  the 
crowd  of  returned  miners  to  see  if  we  might  judge  b}-  their 
faces  whether  they  had  been  successful  in  their  search  for 
gold.  The  greater  number  were  clothed  in  Jerseys,  and 
trousers  made  from  blankets.  The  gangway  ladder  was  let 
down.  The  purser  stood  at  the  head  of  the  landing,  and 
the  miners  came  up  in  the  most  orderly  fashion,  after  having 
made  room  for  the  half-dozen  women  to  precede  them. 
Some  had  grips  so  heavy  that  it  was  necessarj'  to  set  them 
down  on  each  step  for  a  moment's  rest.  Others  were  so 
burdened  by  a  bag  on  the  back  that  it  needed  no  X-rays  to 
tell  us  of  the  gold  within;  then  came  men  with  weighty 
boxes,  followed  by  men  whose  necks  were  decorated  with 
what  looked  like  bologna  sausages,  as  they  dangled  at  their 
sides,  but  were  only  skins  stuffed  with  gold  dust.  "  They  're 
just  carrying  their  gold  that  a-waj'  for  effect,"  whispered 
one  of  the  women  from  the  barge,  "  and  they  'd  oughter 
have  it  stolen  to  teach  'em  not  to  put  on  so  many  airs." 

Two  men  climbed  the  ladder,  staggering  under  a  box 
over  which  they  had  stood  guard  from  Dawson.  We  were 
told,  also,  that  it  contained  seventy-five  thousand  dollars. 
Then  came  two  men  with  an  enormous  valise  on  a  stick,  an 
end  of  the  stick  on  their  shoulders — the  weight  bending 


46  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

them  almost  double.  After  that,  followed  the  reverse  side 
of  the  picture — a  poor  fellow  carried  on  board  with  frozen 
feet  and  legs  ;  another,  too  weak  from  scurvy  to  walk,  borne 
in  the  arms  of  two  men  ;  still  another  who  had  been  blinded 
by  snow  was  carefully  led  up  the  ladder.  As  we  watched 
those  who  had  been  unsuccessful,  we  were  filled  with  great 
pity.  Those  who  had  started  out  with  high  hopes  only  to 
return  helpless!  Pity  also  we  felt  for  those  who  had  gained 
enormous  riches,  knowing  but  too  well  of  the  many  traps 
prepared  for  them,  and  from  which  some  of  their  number 
might  not  escape.  This  large  addition  to  the  ship's  guests 
was  stowed  away  in  a  remarkably  short  space  of  time,  and 
the  joyful  announcement  was  made  that  we  were  to  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  new  barge  on  the  morrow,  after  an  early 
breakfast. 

July  4tb. 
Scarcely  had  we  finished  breakfast,  when  the  second  com- 
plement of  guests  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  took  our 
places  ;  thej'  were  followed  by  a  third.  Luncheon  was  an- 
nounced, and  still  no  order  to  transfer  our  effects.  A  man- 
of-war's  boat  came  alongside,  bringing  me  a  note,  the  latest 
papers  from  Seattle,  Harper' s  Weekly^  and,  to  mj'  great  de- 
light, a  two-gallon  demijohn  of  delicious  sparkling  water. 

Mr.  O caught  sight  of  the  demijohn  through  the  open 

door,  and  shouted,  "  Hulloa  !  where  did  you  get  that 
whiskey?  L,ooks  good!  Sampled  it  yet?" — "No,  but 
you  may."  An  eager  hand  was  outstretched  for  the  demi- 
john,  and  the  crowd  that  had  gathered  at  O 's   loud 

tones  laughed  with  delight  at  tbe  surprised  air  of  the  victim 
when  he  realised  his  mistake.  After  luncheon  we  had  visits 
from  Lieutenants  C and  A of  the  M'hecline;.  Cap- 
tain S also  came  to  bid  us  good-bye,  as  the  Wheeling- 

was  to  sail  on  the  morrow,  and  we  wondered  in  what  part 
of  the  world  we  should  meet  next.     We  were  much  interested 

in  a  Mrs.  C ,  from  Dawson,  who  modestly  showed  us  the 

nuggets  from  her  several  bags.  They  were  of  all  sizes  and  she 
had  panned  them  herself,  or  taken  them  "  from  the  dump  " 
she  said.     One  alone  was  worth  two  hundred  and  fiftv  dollars. 


We  Meet  Old  Friends 


47 


Dinner  is  over,  and  we  are  still  on  board,  although  the 
barge  workmen  are  allowed  scarcely  a  moment  for  sleep. 
Those  waiting  for  our  rooms  are  verj'  patient  and  uncom- 
plaining, which  is  rather  unusual  in  so  large  a  party,  as 
they  had  fully  anticipated  being  given  our  comfortable  beds 
to-night.  The  harbour  is  crowded  ;  several  barges  have 
been  lost  while  being  towed  from  Unalaska  here,  and  if  the 
owners  of  the  SL  Paul  were  inclined  to  be  grasping,  they 
could  send  us  up  the  river  three  in  a  cabin  ;  but  we  have 
been  treated  most  handsomely,  as  though  to  atone  for  the 
keeri  disappointment  which  this  unexpected  delay  is  causing 
us,  and  the  St.  Paul  is  seemingly  kept  here  for  our  comfort, 
although  long  overdue  in  San  Francisco. 


CHAPTER  VII 


TRANSFERRED   AT   LAST 

Tuesday,  July  5th. 

STILL  on  board,  waiting  to  be  transferred.  A  man-of- 
war's  boat  has  just  left  the  side,  having  brought  us  a 
few  extra  luxuries  for  our  voyage,  and  letters  wishing  us  a 
successful  expedition,  and  we  are  once  more  indebted  to  the 
kind  officers  of  the  Wheeling.  We  watch  the  boat  as  she 
skims  over  the  water  carrying  our  note  of  thanks,  watch  the 
sailors  as  they  haul  her  up;  all  is  ready,  and  the  \Vhedi7ig 
steams  slowly  out  of  harbour  while  we  wave  a  last  adieu.  I 
had  almost  forgotten  a  little  incident  in  connection  with  her 
when  she  first  came  into  port.  Many  of  our  passengers  were 
desirous  of  visiting  her,  but  were  ignorant  of  the  ways  and 

means.    One  of  them  approached  E ,  saying,  "  May  I  have 

the  pleasure  o'  takin'  you  on  board  that  there  American  man- 

o'-war  ?  "     "Thank  you,   no,"  said   E •   politely.     Mr. 

Boastful  drew  himself  up,  and  in  loud  tones  said,  "  Well, 
you  'd  much  better  go  with  me  than  any  o'  the  other  fel- 
lows on  board  o'  this  'ere  ship,  coz  I  bet  you  they  don't 
know  a  livin'  soul  on  board  the  Wheeling,  an'  as  for  me, 
why  the  bos'n  's  a  pertikler  friend  o'  mine — known  him 
all  my  life — an'  you  're  makin'  a  big  mistake  if  you  think 
yer  kin  git  anyone  else  to  show  yer  round  half  as  well." 

At  II  A.M.,  not  having  received  any  orders,  we  decided 
to  go  on  shore  for  the  mail.  Scarcely  had  we  boarded  the 
tug,  when  the  gong  was  sounded  and  we  heard  the  shout, 
"  Passengers  from  the  St.  Paul  return  and  take  over  their 
luggage  to  barge."     As  we  rejoiced  loudly  that  the  sum- 

4S 


Transferred  at  Last 


49 


mons  had  come  at  last,  a  returned  Dawsonite  exclaimed, 
"  You  would  n't  be  so  happy  if  you  could  realise  where  j'ou 


are  eoniar. 


We  had  some  difficulty  in  getting  our  pets  off.  The  dogs 
were  crowded  into  the  pilot-house,  leaving  room  only  for  the 
man  at  the  wheel  ;  the  parrot  was  scolding  at  being  dis- 


THE    WHEELING. 


turbed ;  the  pigeons  were  frightened  and  fighting  each  other; 
only  the  canary  was  contented  and  continued  to  sing  merrily. 
We  had  heard  such  exaggerated  stories  about  the  river  boats 
that  we  were  pleasantly  surprised  at  the  realitj-,  but  preferred 
accommodations  on  the  barge,  as  the  cabins  had  but  two 
berths,  while  those  on  the  steamer  Leah  had  three — one  just 
off  the  floor,  one  very  near  the  ceiling,  and  one  between  the 
two.     Neither  E nor  I  felt  equal  to  the  gymnastic  per- 


50  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

formance  required  to  "  turn  in  "  and  "  out  "  and  were  de- 
cidedly averse  to  sleeping  where  we  could  not  sit  up  without 
bumping  our  heads  and  bending  our  backs  double.  The 
cabins  on  the  barge,  although  verj-  primitive  and  constructed 
in  the  cheapest  possible  fashion,  were  new  and  clean,  with 
comfortable  mattresses  ;  the  beds,  table  linen,  and  blankets 
were  also  all  new,  and  the  basins,  carafes,  and  toilet  articles 
of  enamelled  agate.  We  could  nowhere  see  prospective  dis- 
comforts such  as  we  had  read  of,  so  started  out  determined 
to  enjoy  all  that  was  pleasant,  and  to  close  our  eyes  to  any- 
thing which  must  be  endured  because  it  could  not  be  cured. 
A  table  of  pine  ran  through  the  centre  of  the  barge,  but  as 
the  galley  was  not  quite  complete,  all  barge  passengers  were 
to  have  their  meals  on  the  steamer  Leah,  which  was  to  take 
us  in  tow.  Her  dining-room  was  far  too  small  for  so  large 
a  number,  consequently  it  was  first  come,  first  served,  and  the 
stools  at  the  table  made  one  feel  as  though  at  a  lunch  counter. 
There  was  a  rush  for  rooms,  but,  as  Mr.  S had  dis- 
tinctly told  us  that  ill  case  there  should  be  a  sufficient  num- 
ber of  cabins  E and  I  should  each  have  one,  we  made  no 

eflfort  to  "  scramble  "  with  the  others,  but  went  on  shore  to 
give  the  dogs  their  first  run  since  leaving  San  Francisco. 
We  had  been  many  times  warned  that  the  native  dogs  would 
attack  them  in  a  body,  so  we  kept  as  near  to  headquarters 
and  the  miners  as  possible,  knowing  that  the  latter  would 
be  ready  to  help  us  keep  our  beauties  from  a  fight ;  but  we  had 
neither  the  attack  from  the  native  dogs,  nor  the  enjoyment 
of  seeing  Ivan  and  Queen  dashing  in  mad  joy  and  rolling 
on  the  turf  They  walked  sedately  by  our  sides  as  though 
they  had  never  been  weeks  from  shore,  while  the  enemy 
skulked  in  the  rear,  waiting  for  a  chance  to  bite  and  run, 
and  were  so  cowardly  that  they  disappeared  if  we  but  raised 
our  hands  in  a  threatening  manner.  A  very  unexpected 
thing  did  happen  though.  The  few  cows  of  the  place,  that 
had  never  been  known  to  seem  aware  of  the  existence  of 
other  dogs,  immediately  gave  chase  to  ours,  and  in  such  a 
determined  manner  that  the  men  had  to  stand  in  front  of  us- 
and  pelt  them   with   stones,  shouting  to  us  to  seek  cover. 


Transferred  at  Last  5^ 

After  the  danger  was  over,  the  cows  followed  down  a  side 
street,  in  a  manner  which  we  should  not  have  believed  pos- 
sible had  we  not  been  eye-witnesses,  hiding  behind  the  small 
houses  to  dodge  the  men  and  stones,  but  peeping  around 
the  corners  as  though  to  watch  a  chance  to  break  through 
the  ranks. 

The  Collector  of  the  Port  took  the  greatest  interest  in  Ivan. 
An  old  man  slopped  to  ask  mauj-  questions  about  his  pedi- 
gree, saying  that  he  had  owned  a  descendant  of  one  of  Bis- 
marck's dogs.  All  whom  we  met  were  very  talkative  ;  one 
poor  fellow  said  he  was  coming  "  out  "  after  a  five  years'  stay 
in  Dawson,  thoroughly  broken  up  with  malaria.  On  our 
return  to  the  barge,  we  were  informed  that  there  were  at 
least  two  in  each  cabin,  so  that  E and  I  made  no  com- 
plaint at  being  at  last  obliged  to  room  together.  "  There  is 
some  advantage  in  being  unpopular,"  said  one  of  the  pas- 
sengers; "  everj-one  on  board  has  absolutelj^  refused  to  share 

X 's  room  ;  consequently  he  is  triumphantly  telling  that 

he  is  the  only  one  lucky  enough  to  have  a  cabin  to  himself, 
all  unconscious  of  the  reason  for  his  solitude." 

About  a  year  ago,  while  sojourning  at  Point-a-Pic,  my 
imagination  was  greatly  excited  by  articles  about  the  founder 
of  Dawson,  with  which  the  newspapers  were  filled.  The 
more  I  read,  and  the  more  I  heard  of  the  Klondike,  the  more 
necessary  it  seemed  tome  to  meet  this  wonderful  man,  if  one 
would  gain  information  as  to  where  to  prospect,  where  to 
stake  claims,  where  to  locate,  and  how  to  gain  untold  mill- 
ions.      Dreams    developed  into   plans,    arrangements   were 

made  for  the  trip  to  the  promised  land,  and  J ■  1, 's 

hand  held  the  key  which  was  to  unlock  the  golden  chests. 

Suddenly  appeared  a  notice  in  the  New  York  Herald:  ' '  J 

L will  sail  from  San  Francisco  June for  the  Klon- 
dike." "  That  is  to  be  my  steamer,"  cried  I  ;  but  to  my 
great  disappointment,  on  reaching  California,  it  was  only  to 

learn  that  L had  already  sailed,  and  was  "  going  in  " 

over  the  Pass.  So  I  read  with  avidity  all  articles  in  regard 
to  the  promised  land,  in  order  to  gather  the  information 
which  I  had  hoped  to  obtain  from  him. 


52  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

And  now  (after  this  prelude),  to  go  back  to  our  first  eve- 
ning on  the  barge,  as  I  sat  talking  to  one  of  the  passengers, 
a  tall,  fine-looking  man  came  on  board,  and  stopped  a  mo- 
ment to  greet  my  companion,  who,  after  he  had  passed,  said 

to  me,  "  That 's  J L, ;  did  j'ou  ever  hear  of  him  ?  " — 

' '  Hear  of  him  ?  More  than  of  any  other  man  of  this  part  of 
the  world." — "  Do  you  want  to  meet  him?  I  '11  go  and  get 
him,"  but,  after  a  few  moments,  he  returned,  saying,  "  I'm 
very  sorry,  but  he  's  so  surrounded  I  could  n't  get  near  him. 
I  '11  introduce  him,  however,  before  night."  After  dinner 
his  promise  was  fulfilled,  and  a  most  interesting  chat  we  had. 
The  information  which  he  gave  us  was  most  valuable,  and 
when  we  asked  what  chance  there  was  of  getting  a  house  in 
Dawson,  he  immediately  said,  "I  '11  give  you  one  rent-free." 
"  For  how  long  ?  "  said  I.     "  For  a  year,"  he  replied.    "  Is 

there  a  stove  in  it  ?  "  inquired  practical  E .     "  You  can 

buy  all  the  stoves  you  want  in  Dawson,"  said  L .     "  It 

must  be  a  curious  sensation  to  go  alone  to  a  place,  and  watch 
its  development,  as  you  have  done,"  I  remarked.  "  Oh,  }'es  ; 
but  if  I  had  it  to  do  over  again,  I  'd  do  differently,"  said 

L .     "  I  'd  have  a  cinch  on  everything,  and  that  's  what 

I  did  n't  do  in  the  first  place.  But  do  let  me  give  you  ladies 
a  bit  of  advice.  Don't  go  to  Dawson  ;  people  are  dying 
there  like  sheep,  and  they  will  probably  have  an  epidemic 
this  summer,"  and  off  he  went  to  watch  the  trial  trip  of  his 
new  steam-launch. 

It  seems  strange  to  have  no  light  and  no  heat  on  board, 
and  not  to  feel  the  need  of  either  in  this  Arctic  Circle,  but 
we  had  no  difiBculty  in  undressing  by  the  dying  rays  of  the 

sun. 

Wednesday,  July  6th. 

A  long,  enjoyable  tramp  on  shore,  with  an  Englishman. 
We  finally  went  to  the  Alaska  Company's  stores,  which 
were  crowded.  The  men  kindly  ofi^ered  to  make  way  for 
me,  on  account  of  my  sex,  but,  their  time  being  as  valuable 
as  mine,  I  followed  the  example  of  other  women,  and  sat 
on  the  counter  until  my  turn  came.  How  we  laughed  at 
each  new  experience  !     My  purchases  consisted  of  a  pair  of 


Transferred  at  Last 


53 


muck-a-lucks,  four  dollars,  which  they  say  are  worth  three 
times  that  in  Dawson  ;  a  small  tin  of  ginger  wafers,  fifty 
cents  ;  and  a  bottle  of  lime  juice,  seventy-five  cents.  Not 
such  extravagant  prices  as  we  had  been  led  to  expect. 

A  nasty,  rainy  afternoon.     Nothing  to  do  but  to  sit  on 
deck,  talk  with  returned  miners,  and  listen  to  the  fascinating 

stories  of  Klondike  life.     Some  of  them  so  alarmed  E 

about  the  many  dangers  in  store  for  the  dogs,  that  she  sud- 
denly decided  to  send  Queen  back  to  San  Francisco  on  the 
steamer  Si.  Paul  in  charge  of  the  porter  who  had  cared  for 
her  when  outward  bound.  Such  tales  never  affect  me,  as  I 
have  learned  from  long  experience  that  the}'  are  generally 
greatly  exaggerated,  so  Ivan  remained.  After  dinner,  an- 
other most  agreeable  visit    from  L ,   who  brought  his 

agent  with  him,  instructing  him  that  should  our  stores  not 
reach  Dawson  in  time  v^-e  were  to  be  allowed  to  help  our- 
selves to  his. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


WE   HEAR   THE   SIGNAL 

Thursday,  July  7th. 

AFTER  this  morning's  shopping  experience,  will  retract 
all  written  j'esterday  about  prices.  Ordinary  single 
blanket  for  Ivan,  the  cheapest  made,  seven  dollars  ;  a  very 
common  skirt-braid,  two  small  pieces,  twenty-five  cents  ; 
writing-pads,  twenty-five  cents  each  ;  ink,  twenty-five  cents 
for  a  five-cent  (retail)  bottle,  and  the  slimsiest  kind  of  calico, 
twenty-five  cents  a  j-ard — all  to  be  carried  home  by  the  pur- 
chaser.    A  short  walk  with  Mr.  S ,  another  interesting 

Englishman,  and  after  stopping  to  inspect  the  cannon  we  re- 
turned to  the  Leah,  to  find  that  the  early  birds  were  being 
served  with  luncheon,  and  that  it  remained  for  us  to  stand 
in  line  until  the  others  had  finished  and  departed,  a  method 
certainly  not  calculated  to  aid  their  digestion. 

At  two  o'clock  came  the  long-waited-for  signal  —  three 
whistles — and  we  rush  to  the  barge,  watching  the  last  pas- 
sengers come  on  board.  During  the  half-hour  of  suspense 
before  starting,  tales  were  told  of  a  terrible  gale  ouLside,  and 
of  barges  that  had  gone  to  pieces  between  here  and  the 
entrance  to  the  river,  until  women  were  not  the  only  ones 
who  were  in  a  wild  state  of  alarm.  At  three  we  were  off, 
and  the  last  stage  of  the  journey  had  begun.  Side  b}-  side 
went  the  Leah  and  the  barge,  then  the  Leah  went  ahead,  and 
we  were  taken  in  tow,  quite  a  distance  behind.  As  we  fell 
back  our  former  messmates  shouted :  "  So  sorry  to  leave  you. ' ' 

"  We  '11  meet  in  Dawson, />('r/;n7!>j-."     J ,  who  celebrates 

everything,  rushed  for  his  flag,  and  headed  a  procession  on 
top  of  the  barge.     No  lack  of  enthusiasm  could  he  charge 

54 


We  Hear  the  Signal  55 

against  the  men  this  time.  He  was  followed  up  the  ladder 
by  doctors,  dentists,  barkeepers,  millionaires,  an  ex-senator, 
hotel-keepers,  and  two  Englishmen.  On  they  marched, 
backwards  and  forwards,  in  serpentine  fashion,  all  singing 
or  shouting  anything  and  everything,  whistles  screeching 
from  steamers  and  tugboats,  hats  and  handkerchiefs  wav- 
ing, parting  words,  pathetic  and  amusing,  called  out  and 
almost  drowned  in  the  distance.  A  photographer  was  on 
the  wharf,  taking  pictures  of  the  party. 

Retiring  to  my  cabin  to  indulge  in  the  usual  pastime  of 
writing,  a  face  at  the  window  startled  me.  One  of  the 
passengers,  walking  on  the  extremely  narrow  ledge  which 
surrounded  the  barge,  was  on  a  tour  of  investigation,  cling- 
ing to  each  window  as  he  passed  ;  said  windows  having  no 
shutters,  curtains,  or  mosquito  nettings,  the  investigator  was 
regretting  his  temerity,  as  an  attack  was  being  made  upon 
him  by  my  next-door  neighbour  with  an  umbrella,  which  he 
captured  and  passed  into  my  room,  begging  me  to  take  charge 

of  it  as  confiscated  property.     At  that  moment  E opened 

the  door  and  exclaimed,  "  Romeo  and  Juliet!  "  then  asked  me 
to  go  with  her  to  see  the  first  egg  in  the  pigeon-coop,  which 
was  attracting  general  attention.  "  May  n't  I  come  through 
the  window  ?  "  begged  Romeo.  "  This  ledge  is  so  narrow, 
and  the  people  on  this  row  are  so  unfriendly  that  I  'm  in 
danger  of  being  thrown  overboard."  "  Yes,  if  j-ou  '11 
solemnly  promise  that  it  shall  be  your  last  offence,"  .said 

E .    "  I  never  should  have  tried  it  at  all  had  I  realised  the 

enormity  of  my  sin,"  pleaded  the  culprit,  as  he  finally  ex- 
tricated himself  and  accompanied  us  to  the  bow  of  the  barge. 
"  Did  you  see  the  new  passenger?     Does  n't  .she  look  like 

Mrs.    W ?"    said    Y .       "Which    Mrs.    W ?" 

queried  E .      "  Why,  the  wife  of  Mr.  W ,  to  whom 

you  have  just  bidden  farewell  at  St.  Michaels."  "Oh!  he 
has  no  wife  !  he  's  a  widower,"  said  E .  "  You  remem- 
ber his  sad  story"  (nodding  at  me).  The  crowd  smiled. 
Some  even  dared  to  laugh,  while  one,  bolder  than  the 
others,  haw-hawed,  "  A  widower  !  well,  that  's  pretty  good  ! 
Hov^f  did  he  get  the  news?     I  had  a  few  words  with  his  wife 


56  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

myself  when  she  came  down  to  see  him  off,  so  she  was  all 
right  at  San    Francisco!"      "Oh,   that  was  n't  his  wife," 

said  E ;   "  you  are  mistaken.     He  told  me  all  about  her. 

She  is  the  sister  of  his  most  intimate  friend,  and  came  to 
explain  why  her  brother  could  not  get  away."  "Well,  if 
that's  not  a  good  joke!     And  j'ou  believed  him?"  said 

Y .     "  Certainly — why  should  I  suppose  him  to  be  telling 

me  so  u.seless  a  lie?  " 

W ,  whom  we  had  met  on  the  St.  Paid,  was  a  fine- 
looking   man,    but   without   much   education,    and   E , 

thinking  it  a  pity  that  he  should  speak  so  ungrammatically, 
had  taken  him  in  hand,  and  he  had  proved  a  willing  pupil. 
Later  on  he  confided  to  her  a  most  pathetic  story  of  the 
death  of  his  beautiful  wife,  and  of  his  intense  grief  which 
had  caused  him  to  eschew  society  for  many  years.    Imagine, 

then,  with  what  astonishment  E learned  that  her  pupil 

had  not  only  been  deceiving  her,  but  that  nearly  half  of  the 
passengers  of  the  St.  Paul  were  either  acquainted  with  or 

had  seen  Mrs.   \V verj-  often  during  the  eight  years 

which  (according  to  her  husband's  story)  she  had  passed 
underground.     E was  justly  indignant. 

Now  the  tables  are  being  prepared  for  the  first  meal  on 

the  barge  ;  small  cliques  are  being  formed.     E tells  me 

that  we  have  had  three  invitations — first,  to  join  Mr.  O 's 

party  ;  second,  the  party  of  Mr.  P ;  lastly,  to  be  seated 

with  four  others  near  the  head  of  the  table,  but,  in  order  not 
to  sow  the  seeds  of  discord,  she  decided  that  it  would  be  bet- 
ter to  follow  the  plan  of  the  majority,  who  insisted  upon 

having  chairs  in  front  of  their  cabin  doors.     Mr.  P was 

asserting  that  he  was  tired  of  the  crowd  with  whom  he  had 
been  associated  on  the  St.  Paul ;  while  members  of  that 
crowd  confided  to  us  that  they  had  made  up  their  clique 

carefully  in  order  to  exclude  Mr.  P .     Mr.  O— —  said 

we  had  better  come  to  his  table  as  he  was  going  to  boss 
things.  Finallj-,  as  it  was  impracticable  to  keep  to  our  de- 
cision, we  accepted  an  invitation  given  by  our  former  host 
of  St.  Michaels  and  the  two  Englishmen,  and  so  congenial 
was  the  .society,  so  delightful  the  stories  with  which  they 


We  Hear  the  Signal  57 

entertained  us,  that  we  did  not  mind  the  "  tinned  "  food  set 
before  us  three  times  daily,  and  concluded  that  "  roughing 
it  "  had  not  j'et  begun. 

As  we  were  enjoying  our  first  meal,  a  German  woman  came 
late  to  dinner.  The  steward  motioned  her  to  a  vacant  seat, 
but  she  stood  immovable.  "  Here  is  your  place,  Madam," 
he  called.  "  No,  that  is  not  mein  place,"  she  stoutly  main- 
tained ;  "mein  place  is  before  mein  door,  und  before  mein 
door  will  I  sit,  wenn  this  frau  will  get  fromitaus."  "  This 
frau  ' '  continued  to  dine  quite  undisturbed  by  the  discussion. 
The  one  from  Deutschland  remained  until  mince-pie  was 
brought,  then  weakened,  and  finally  accepted  the  chair  which 
she  had  so  scornfully  declined.  When  we  found  that  our 
napkins  were  to  do  service  a  second  time  each  one  went 
in  search  of  a  bit  of  ribbon,  seeking  a  favourite  colour  ; 
besides  that,  the  men  wrote  the  number  of  our  chairs  in  big 
letters  on  the  damask. 

After  dinner  a  breeze  sprang  up,  and  great  excitement 
was  caused  by  the  breaking  of  the  barge  rudder.  Many 
of  the  passengers  declared  that  it  was  defective  when 
we  started  and,  on  investigation,  it  was  discovered  that 
the  tools  required  for  making  repairs  had  been  left  on  the 
dock.  Another  storj'  was  circulated  that  the  barge  was 
leaking  ;  one  of  the  men  declared  that  he  had  been  down 
below,  that  the  pumps  w-ere  being  used  and  the  cargo  ruined. 
I  finally  appealed  to  the  purser,  telling  him  that  our  outfit 
was  of  some  value,  after  which  he  assured  me  that  he  had 
made  a  thorough  investigation  and  that  the  story  of  a  leak 
was  absoluteU'  false.  We  were  next  informed  that  the  rud- 
der of  the  steamer  was  showing  signs  of  weakness,  and  as  we 
had  sixty  miles  through  Bering  Sea  to  make  before  reaching 
"  the  bar,"  the  passengers  were  very  much  frightened,  and 
declared  their  intention  of  remaining  dressed  and  ready  for 
emergencies  should  any  arise.  The  barge  was  then  placed 
in  front  of  the  steamer  and  pushed  instead  of  towed.  The 
floor  of  the  barge  vibrated  with  a  serpentine  motion  as  though 
each  v/ave  would  prove  fatal,  and,  recalling  the  accidents  that 
had  taken  place  so  recently,  many  of  the  passengers  crossed 


58  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

to  the  steamer  and  remained  on  deck  until  3  a.m.  ;  the 
men,  seemingly,  were  more  alarmed  than  the  women,  as  we 
were  told  that  some  of  them  slept  in  life-preservers.  Plans 
were  made  as  to  our  actions  in  case  of  disaster.  One  of  the 
Englishmen  said  that  if  I  would  promise  to  keep  cool  and 
only  rest  my  hands  on  his  shoulder  he  could  easily  save  me 
by  swimming  to  shore.  Heated  discussions  ensued  among 
the  passengers  at  things  having  been  so  rushed — the  same 
passengers  who  had  protested  vigorously  against  the  long 
delay.  At  3  a.m.  we  came  to  anchor  and,  on  retiring  to 
our  cabins  the  light  of  the  coming  day  was  so  strong  that  we 
were  obliged  to  hang  our  wraps  before  the  window. 

Friday. 

Still  waiting  outside  the  bar  !  No  one  could  tell  why,  so 
I  inquired  of  the  captain,  who  replied,  "  Barge  rudder 
broken,  shy  on  the  steamer  rudder,  and  the  tools  to  repair 
them  were  left  on  the  dock."  There  is  a  carpenter  here,  but 
he  is  wanted  everywhere  at  once,  consequently  the  skylight 
is  not  yet  finished,  and  the  opening  is  covered  with  canvas, 
excluding  light,  but  admitting  rain,  to  the  great  discomfort 
of  the  passengers,  some  of  whom  are  now  shifting  their 
quarters  to  the  Leah.     This  leaves  a  few  vacant  rooms,  and 

E at  once  informed  the  purser  and  the  .steward  of  Mr. 

S 's  promise.     The  former  said,   "  Have  you  got  it  in 

writing?  "  the  latter,"  His  words  don't  go  here,"  and  we  were 
obliged  to  accept  the  inevitable,  as  we  saw  that  others  were 
taking  advantage  of  what  had  been  given  to  us  conditionally. 
Moral,  be  sure  and  have  everything  in  writing  before  you 
start  !  Indians  came  with  salmon  and  plover  for  sale.  They 
wanted  whiskej-  in  exchange,  but  that,  being  too  rare  and 
precious,  could  not  be  given, — not  from  conscientious  scru- 
ples, however, — so  they  took  tea  instead.  After  dinner,  some 
of  the  passengers  anuised  themselves  by  telling  stories.  They 
declared  that  the  following  "  took  the  cake  " : 

"  Last  year,  when  I  went  '  out '  from  Dawson,  thought  I  'd 
go  and  see  what  kind  of  a  feller  that  little  sister  o'  mine  had 
married.     She  deserved  the  best  that  's  goin',  coz  .she  was  as 


We  Hear  the  Signal  59 

pretty  as  a  peach  when  I  left  home,  and  just  as  sweet.  I  never 
'ud  'a'  knowed  I  had  a  brother-in-law  had  n't  Jim  Bullock  cum 
'  in  'just  as  I  was  goin'  back  to  the  mines,  and  from  something 
he  let  drop  it  struck  me  that  Nance  had  married  a  second 
'  Fightin'  Bill,'  an'  as  I  'd  been  strikin'  it  pretty  rich  I  de- 
termined to  go  '  out '  all  of  a  suddint-like,  and  jess  tie  up 
that  property  o'  mine  so  as  nobody  but  Nance  could  git  a- 
hold  of  it,  in  case  I  should  happen  to  pass  in  my  chips. 
Well,  I  went  back  to  the  old  home  and  found  it  rented  to 
new  people,  an'  they  told  me  that  Nance's  husband  had 
taken  her  way  out  West  somewhere.  '  That  looks  bad,'  sez  I 
to  myself.  '  Why  could  n't  he  'a'  let  her  stayed  'mongst  them 
as  ez  knowed  an'  loved  her  all  her  life?  By  jingo!  I  'm 
goin'  to  git  on  his  trail  if  it  takes  me  the  rest  o'  my  natural 
life.  vSo  I  followed  day  an'  night,  first  behind  the  engine, 
then  in  a  waggon,  then  on  horseback,  until  I  got  waj*  out 
into  the  Indian  countr}-.  And  one  night  I  saw  bright  lights 
ahead  and  knowed  there  was  a  merrymakiu'  goin'  on. 

"  '  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  be  out  of  everj-thing,'  sez  I,  so  jess 
made  straight  for  them  lights,  got  a  small  boj-  to  shelter  mj- 
horse  and  gimme  somethin'  to  eat,  an'  then  I  peeked  into 
the  parlour.  Of  all  the  games  you  ever  heeru  tell  on,  this 
one  was  the  funniest.  There  was  a  great  big  galoot  sitting 
in  a  easy  chair  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  and  sayin'  like  a 
sick  kitten,  '  I  'm  a-pinin'.'  '  Who  you  pinin'  for?'  said 
another  fool.  '  Mary  Muggins,'  sez  he  ;  so  when  I  seen  a 
girl  a-blushin'  an'  a-tryin'  for  to  hide  her  face  I  made  sure  she 
was  Mary  Muggins,  and  the  durned  fool  led  her  right  up  to 
the  other  fool  in  the  easy  chair  and  would  you  believe  it,  she 
had  to  kiss  him  square  on  the  mouth  before  he  could  stop  a- 
pinin'  an'  walk  back  among  the  others.  Well,  they  kept  up 
this  tomfoolery  for  about  an  hour,  when  a  great  big,  splendid- 
looking  fellow  commenced  a-scowlin'  at  'em  an'  a-frownin'  at 
'em,  as  though  he  intended  to  kick  'em  all  out.  I  peeked 
round  a  little  farther  to  see  what  all  the  fellers  were  a-lookin' 
at  all  the  evenin',  and  bless  my  soul  if  there  did  n't  sit  Nance, 
prettier  than  ever  !  I  was  going  to  spring  for  her  but  '  re- 
stricted '   myself  to  find   out   what  the  man  by  her  was  a- 


6o  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

scowlin'  for,  an'  then  decided  that  he  must  be  '  Fightin'  Bill,' 
who  was  ready  to  kill  anj'  man  who  dared  to  '  pine  '  for  Nance. 
I  was  wrong  this  time,  my  boys,  for  just  as  I  sez,  '  There  's 
goin'  to  be  a  thunder-storm  or  I  ain't  no  judge  o'  human 
natur, '  '  Fightin'  Bill '  rose  in  his  wrath  an'  sez,  sez  he,  '  My 
wife  's  the  purtiest  woman  here,  an'  if  no  one  pines  for  her, 
there  's  goin'  to  be  trouble,  and  that  soon.'  In  two  seconds 
ever}'  feller  in  the  room  was  a-pinin'  for  Nance  until  I  just 
rushed  over  and  sez,  '  Nance,  Nance  ' — an'  then  knew  no 
more.  When  I  kum  to,  Nance  she  was  a-cryin'  over  me, 
an'  '  Fightin'  Bill '  held  out  his  hand  and  said,  '  I  'm  durned 
sorry,  partner,  but  how  could  I  tell  you  was  Nance's 
brother  ? '  Well,  that  '  Fightin'  Bill '  kin  have  all  my  pile 
when  I  'm  gone,  an'  more,  too.  He  an'  Nance  gave  me  the 
time  o'  mj^  life,  an'  they  named  the  baby  arter  me,  an'  I  'm 
goin'  back  to  Dawson  to  sell  out  and  then  back  to  Nance  to 
eddicate  that  boy,  an'  if  he  don't  turn  out  a  high-flyer  it 
won't  be  his  uncle's  fault." 

At  elev^en  we  retired,  quite  exhausted  after  the  long  watch 
of  the  previous  night.  To  bed,  but  not  to  sleep,  as  games 
commenced  ;  tag  was  played  around  the  table  in  front  of  our 
doors,  shrieks  of  laughter  arose  from  the  3'oung  women  who 
were  caught,  and  .songs,  shouts,  and  whistling  all  combined 
to  drive  away  any  chance  of  sleep. 

Saturday,  July  gtb. 
Hardly  had  the  night's  fun  (?)  ended,  and  we  again  settled 
to  rest,  when  the  clatter  of  dishes  and  the  preparations  for 
breakfast  began.  We  awakened  to  find  mosquitoes  coming 
in  through  the  window  in  swarms,  and  the  never-ceasing 
rain  leaking  through  the  roof.  Some  articles  of  clothing 
were  thoroughly  drenched,  and  others  too  damp  for  use. 
The  carpenter  was  persuaded  to  tack  up  a  wire  netting  and 
to  plug  the  knot-holes  and  other  cavities  through  which  the 
rain  dropped.  Two  of  the  passengers  were  drj'ing  pillows 
at  the  stove  in  which  they  had  made  a  fire  of  drift-wood  and 
broken  boxes.  One  man  had  a  stiff  neck,  another  a  cough, 
while  several  complained  of  rheumatism.     Many  were  search- 


We  Hear  the  Signal  6i 

ing  for  bits  of  wood,  and  making  shelves  to  hold  basin  and 
toilet  articles.  Mr.  Q kindly  presented  me  with  a  car- 
penter's bench,  which  is  most  useful  in  lieu  of  table  or 
shelves.  We  made  friends  with  the  cook,  a  most  excel- 
lent one,  who  told  us  that  he  began  work  at  2.30  a.m., 
finishing  at  9  p.m.  At  table  we  were  allowed  one  plate 
for  fish,  meat,  etc.,  a  knife,  fork,  and  two  teaspoons,  and 
that,  we  were  told,  was  more  luxurious  than  anything  that 
had  before  been  known  in  these  regions.  We  had  many  a 
laugh  at  our  companions  at  table,  and  they  at  us,  as  we  for- 
got to  retain  our  forks,  or  were  obliged  to  spread  butter  with 
a  spoon,  or  use  it  for  pie,  the  never-failing  dessert. 

The  captain  came  one  day  to  explain  to  me  why  E had 

not  been  given  another  cabin,  and  offered  her  the  "chain- 
room."  E declined  with  thanks,  saying,  "a  place  re- 
served for  storage  and  which  no  one  else  will  accept !  I  prefer 
to  remain  where  I  am,  and  have  Mr.  S inquire  on  my  re- 
turn why  his  instructions  have  not  been  carried  out,  when 
men  are  being  allowed  rooms  quite  to  themselves."  After 
luncheon,  we  stopped  to  put  off  a  couple  of  French  mission- 
aries. They  entered  the  compartments  fore  and  aft  of  the 
tiny  canoe,  leaving  the  Indian  guide  and  boatman  to  take 
the  seat  in  the  hole  in  the  centre.  Not  a  complaint  did  they 
utter  as  they  squeezed  into  the  tight-fitting  box  and  were 
paddled  towards  the  solitary  and  uninviting  shore.  Such 
bravery  showed  a  noble  spirit  of  self-sacrifice.  As  they  heard 
the  shouts  of  "  Good  luck  to  you,"  they  waved  a  last  adieu, 
and  said,  "  We  shall  pray  for  you." 

Had  a  most  interesting  chat  with  the  wife  of  Arch- 
deacon   ,  who,  although  a  great  sufferer  from  seasickness 

and  a  martyr  to  neuralgia,  is  bravely  returning  for  another 
seven  years  in  the  Arctic  regions.  She  and  her  good  hus- 
band first  entered  the  country  from  the  Canadian  side  in 
small  boats  over  the  lakes.  This,  which  seems  to  the 
majorit}-  so  primitive  a  style  of  travelling,  is,  to  them,  by 
contrast,  most  luxurious.  Their  hearts  are  filled  with  love 
for  the  work  they  have  attempted,  and  no  discouragements 
are  allowed  to  interfere  with  the  anticipated  glorious  results. 


62  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

At  II  P.M.  we  tied  up  to  the  bank  for  wood.  Indians 
by  the  dozens  lined  the  shore,  but  the  light  was  not  suffi- 
ciently strong  for  snap-shots.  A  white  man  came  on  board 
enveloped  in  a  mosquito-shield  (as  was  everyone  else  except 
the  Indians).  He  was  greatly  surprised  that  we  had  Imt 
ninet\'  passengers,  instead  of  the  expected  two  hundred.  In 
answer  to  our  question  he  said,  "  We  call  this  Andreafsky, 
though  Andreafsky  is  twenty  miles  beyond.  We  stopped 
here  to  build  a  boat  which  is  to  take  us  to  Dawson,  and  the 
name  of  our  camp  is  Black  Foot."  That  explained  the  red 
flag  with  a  black  foot  in  the  centre,  which  was  flying  under 
the  American.  One  of  the  passengers  asked  for  my  decanter 
that  he  might  fill  it  with  pure  water  from  the  spring.     It 

was  deliciously  cool.     A brought  me  back  a  big  bunch 

of  ferns,  bluebells,  pink  flowers  resembling  clover,  and  cotton- 
buds.  Poor  Ivan,  whom  he  had  taken  for  a  run,  returned 
almost  frantic  from  the  sting  of  mosquitoes  and  sand-flies, 
which  had  taken  possession  of  his  entire  bodv. 

Sunday,  July  lotb. 
Have  searched  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  pam- 
phlet to  glean  some  information  about  our  stopping-place 
last  night.  It  must  have  been  Kollik,  of  which  it  tells 
us  that  "it  is  near  the  discharging  point  of  the  Aphoon 
mouth,"  and  adds  :  "  Here  there  is  a  rude  Russian  church, 
the  store  of  an  ancient  Russian  trader  who  dominates  the 
place,  and  the  drift-wood  dwellings  of  a  small  settlement. 
The  surroundings  are  characteristic  of  the  entire  delta 
— flat,  rich  soil  which  might  support  a  nation,  if  in  a 
kindlier  clime,  but  which,  frozen  to  within  a  short  distance 
of  the  surface,  produces  nothing  but  thick  grasses,  and 
low  scrub-willows,  or  other  Arctic  trees.  Water-fowl  flit 
in  every  direction,  or  chatter  continually  on  the  flats. 
Here,  too,  the  traveller  has  the  first  experience  of  taking 
on  wood  for  fuel.  The  Eskimo  cut  up  and  split  the  drift- 
logs,  and  pile  them  on  the  bank.  Then,  when  the  steamer 
hauls  up  at  the  landing,  the  natives,  who  compose  a  greater 
portion  of  the  crew  (not  so  on  our  sliip)  bring  on  the  wood 


We  Hear  the  Si^rnal 


63 


as  rapidly  as  their  naturally  sluggish  natures  can  be  spurred 
to  work." 

Upon  leaving  the  cabin  this  morning,  late,  I  found  that 
we  were  again  "  taking  on  wood,"  not  that  we  needed  it,  but 
simply  to  prevent  one  of  our  rivals  from  obtaining  it,  and 
thereby  overtaking  us.  The  men  were  on  shore  with  their 
rifles.     The  "  cherub  "  brought  back  a  very  pretty  tame  fox 


TAKING    ON    WOOD    ON    THE    YUKON. 


in  a  box.  The  women  purchased  the  skins  of  muskrats  and 
swans.  Mr.  A was  the  last  one  to  return,  with  a  beauti- 
ful bunch  of  wild  roses.  He  was  held  up  several  times  and 
robbed  of  one  or  two  sprays,  but  finally  handed  the  re- 
mainder to  me,  saying  in  his  modest  way,  "  Mind  you  don't 
cut  your  hands,  as  they  're  full  of  thorns."  The  Doctor, 
who  is  an  enthusiastic  amateur  photographer,  was  delighted 
at  having  been  able  to  get  a  good  light  on  the  tomb  of  a 
princess,  saying  that  the  box  containing  her  remains  was 


64  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

kept  on  top  of  the  ground,  while  on  a  board  were  nailed  the 
paddle  of  her  canoe,  her  bracelets,  hunting-knife,  and  many- 
trinkets  of  value.  As  we  started  off  the  Doctor  escorted  me 
to  the  upper  deck,  from  which  we  had  a  magnificent  view 
of  this  wonderful  river.  It  was  laughable  to  see  poor  Ivan 
stumbling  up  and  tumbling  down  the  steepest  ladders  in 
order  to  be  always  at  my  side.  After  luncheon  we  tied  up 
again  to  the  bank  ;  as  the  decks  were  completely  covered 
with  wood,  and  there  was  no  wood-pile  visible,  everyone  was 
on  the  qui  vivc  to  know  the  cause  of  detention.  Some  said 
the  boilers  were  being  cleaned  ;  others,  that  the  wheel  was 
broken.  No  one  seemed  to  know  the  truth,  but  here  we 
have  been  for  hours,  tightly  enveloped  in  nets,  but  still  fight- 
ing mosquitoes.  One  of  the  passengers  found  the  tracks  of 
a  bear  on  shore.  Then  there  was  a  rush  for  shotguns  and 
the  men  were  soon  working  their  way  through  the  thick 
underbrush.  They  were  obliged  to  give  it  up,  however,  and 
returned  none  too  soon,  with  their  faces  and  hands  badly 
swollen.  Those  who  had  no  rifles  remained  on  top  of  the 
barge  making  napkin-rings  and  shelves  for  their  cabins. 

5  P.M.  Moving  once  more,  and  all  are  uttering  hearty 
thanks,  as  there  are  fewer  mosquitoes  away  from  the  banks. 
The  general  opinion  seems  to  be  that  some  part  of  the  ma- 
chinery needed  repairing,  but  all  queries  meet  the  same  re- 
ply, "  don't  know,"  while  those  uttering  complaints  against 
irregularities  are  called  "kickers"  ;  consequent! j-  many- 
things  are  submitted  to  without  a  murmur  which  should 
never  be  allowed  to  exist,  and  of  which  the  owners  would 
probably  be  very  glad  to  receive  information. 

Monday,  July  nth. 
No  respect  for  Sunday  is  shown  by  a  large  number  of  pas- 
sengers.    Last  evening,  after  dinner,  a  dance  was  organised, 

J leading  and  calling  out  "  the  figgers. "     The  orchestra 

consisted  of  Mr.  P with  his  violin,  Colonel  B ,  with 

his  fiddle,  and  one  of  the  waiters  with  a  mandolin.     The 

dancing  being  too  tame  to  suit  J ,  he  shouted,  "  Here, 

give  us  some  ginger  !  we  must  have  some  ginger  !     This 


We  Hear  the  Signal 


65 


dancing  ain't  got  no  spice  in  it."  We  sat  on  deck  and 
watched  the  glorious  scenery  until  eleven.  Scarcely  had 
we  retired  to  our  cabins,  when  the  assemblage  adjourned  to 
the  top  of  the  barge,  which  was  very  near  our  heads,  and 
commenced  a  march  to  the  accompaniment  of  songs  and 
shouts.  The  poor  Archdeacon  and  his  wife,  who  had  been 
sitting  on  deck  with  us  during  this  desecration  of  the  Sab- 


DRYINQ    SALMON    ON    THE    LOWER    YUKON. 


bath,  were  most  unhappy,  but  there  was  no  one  to  whom  to 
complain,  so  the  dear  lady,  with  "  a  splitting  headache,"  was 
obliged  to  wait  until  the  crowd  disbanded. 

While  dressing  late  this  morning,  the  whistle  blew  and  we 
saw  a  town  in  the  distance,  with  a  beautiful  Russian  church 
standing  out  prominently.  We  hastily  finished  our  toilet 
and  hurried  on  shore  ;  but  no  sooner  had  Ivan  touched  land 

than  the  native  dogs  came  dashing  from  all  directions,  and 

5 


66  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

as  they  failed  to  run  away  at  my  shout  of  "  Moosh  !  "  which 
onh^  evoked  peals  of  laughter  from  the  Indians,  the  poor 
beast,  who  was  quite  ready  to  whip  every  dog  there,  had  to 
be  sent  on  board  without  his  exercise,  as  I  did  not  wish  the 
winner  of  twenty-two  prizes  to  be  debarred  from  further 
honours  by  disfigurement.  Salmon  was  hung  out  to  dry 
before  every  house,  and  all  along  the  banks.  A  small  boy 
of  not  more  than  three  years  of  age  was  smoking  a  pipe.  As 
I  turned  the  Kodak  in  his  direction  he  took  the  pipe  from 
his  mouth  to  refill  it  from  the  contents  of  the  bag  which  he 
held  in  his  hand.  I  motioned  to  the  father  that  the  pipe 
should  be  replaced  in  the  child's  mouth  ;  he  understood  the 
gesture,  and  an  interesting  group  was  taken,  as  the  father 

had  a  tiny  papoose  in  his  arms.     Mr.  A kindly  escorted 

me  to  the  Russian  church,  but  service  was  over,  and  we  had 
not  the  time  to  photograph  the  interior.  We  climbed  to  the 
graveyard,  but  the  mosquitoes  were  so  ravenous  and  attacked 
us  in  such  swarms,  that  we  beat  a  hasty  retreat,  only  stop- 
ping to  gather  a  few  flowers.  At  eleven  we  returned  to  the 
ship  and  as  my  English  friend  said  we  had  been  visiting 
"the  most  swagger  place  on  the  Yukon,"  I  immediately 
read  the  following  in  regard  to  it  from  the  pamphlet  hereto- 
fore quoted : 

"  Ikogimut,  or  the  Russian  Mission,  as  it  is  generally 
called.  This  mission  has  been  established  many  years  and 
is  the  principal  station  of  the  Greek  Church  in  the  northern 
portion  of  Alaska.  The  church  itself  is  a  picturesque  struct- 
ure, and  its  services  most  interesting.  This  is  a  favourite 
place  for  picking  up  curios  and  small  furs.  The  water  in 
the  river  at  this  point  has  been  sounded  to  a  depth  of  four 
hundred  and  eighty  feet,  indicating  that  it  flows  through  an 
ancient  crater.  Here,  too,  the  birch-bark  canoe  of  the  up- 
river  Indian  begins  to  be  seen  in  competition  with  the  skin 
kayak  of  the  Eskimo,  for  Paimut,  about  five  hours'  run  up 
the  stream  from  the  Russian  Mission,  marks  the  dividing 
line  between  the  Innuits  and  Ingaliks.  The  Eskimo  and 
the  Indians  of  the  interior  were,  in  former  years,  frequently 
at  war,  but  it  has  been  many  j-ears  since  any  great  battles 


We  Hear  the  Signal  67 

were  fought.     Still,  thej-  occasionally  shoot  on  sight,  when 
hunting-parties  chance  to  meet  on  the  ranges." 

4  P.M.  Met  two  rowboats  coming  from  Dawson.  Their 
occupants  shouted  :  "  Turn  back," — "  Go  the  other  way," 
— "Thousands  waiting  to  get  'out.'"  A  river  steamer 
approached  heavily  laden.  Everj'one  rushed  to  her  cabin, 
hoping  to  be  able  to  mail  letters  already  prepared,  but  only 
friendlj'  greetings  were  exchanged  from  a  distance. 

Tuesday,  July  I2tli. 

Pandemonium  let  loose!  Last  night  after  a  sunset  so 
glorious  that  it  surpassed  all  others,  we  retired  as  usual  at 
eleven.  At  2  A.M.  we  anchored,  or  rather  tied  up  to  the 
bank  at  Koserefsky.  As  we  had  read  in  the  same  pam- 
phlet, this  "  Holy  Cross  Mission  is  maintained  by  the 
Sisters  of  Saint  Anne  and  the  Jesuit  Fathers.  Here  the 
voyager  will  be  greatlj-  interested  in  the  gardening,  which 
shows  what  may  be  done  in  the  way  of  raising  the  hardier 
vegetables  whenever  an  increasing  population  shall  put 
Alaska  to  the  test  of  its  capacity  for  supporting  life.  Tur- 
nips, radishes,  lettuce,  potatoes,  cabbages,  and  celery  are 
grown  with  more  or  less  success,  and  continuous  experi- 
ments are  made  with  different  seeds.  The  work  among  the 
Indian  children  shows  their  wonderful  capacity  for  receiving 
a  certain  measure  of  instruction,  although  as  yet  the  moral 
results  have  not  been  all  that  the  devoted  missionaries  have 
hoped  for."  We  had  been  anticipating  with  great  pleasure 
a  visit  to  the  church  and  the  wonderful  gardens,  but,  un- 
fortunately, the  hour  of  arrival  was  not  propitious,  and  we 
again  sought  repose  in  sleep.  Alas  !  that  was  impossible, 
for,  having  no  oflBcer  on  the  barge  at  night,  the  Indians  were 
allowed  to  board  her,  and  roam  at  will,  not  only  on  the  nar- 
row ledge  outside  our  windows,  but  to  congregate  in  groups 
before  our  doors,  or  tramp  through  the  hall,  chattering  like 
magpies.  Then  came  the  whistle  from  an  approaching 
steamer,  and  we  were  soon  aware  that  the  long-expected 
Alice,  from  Dawson,  was  being  secured  to  the  barge. 

In  a  few  moments  many  of  her  two  hundred  passengers 


68  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

had  landed  on  our  decks,  and  were  loudly  calling  for  those 
whom  they  hoped  to  find  on  board.  One  or  two  of  the  most 
popular  men  were  surrounded,  and  their  conversation  would 
have  been  of  great  interest  at  any  other  time.  The  same 
advice  was  reiterated  on  all  sides — "  Turn  back.  Don't  go 
to  Dawson.  People  are  dj'ing  there  like  rats  in  a  trap." 
Only  one  man  was  affected  sufficiently  to  follow  this  counsel, 
and  his  companions  said  that  he  was  dreadfully  homesick, 
and  onlj'  too  glad  of  an  excuse.  It  was  nearlj-  4  a.m. 
when  the  Alice  left  and  broad  daylight,  but  we  settled  down 
to  sleep,  when  the  howling  of  the  pack  of  dogs  belonging  to 
the  purser  reached  our  ears  ;  then  came  the  opening  of  the 
pantry,  preparations  for  breakfast,  and  another  day  had  be- 
gun. On  deck,  the  heat  of  the  sun  was  inten.se,  but  I  dis- 
covered a  shady  nook,  and  was  quietly  reading  an  Italian 
romance,  when  a  voice  said,  "  Wa'al,  3'ou  do  want  to  be  ex- 
clusive, but  I  'm  goin'  to  stay,  coz  I  kin  git  rid  o'  them  pesk}' 
mosquitoes  here  ;  they  're  a-bleedin'  me  to  death,  an'  I  kiu 
truly  sa^'  that  I  fought  an'  bled  my  way  to  Dawson."  'T  was 
the  old  fiddler.  Then  came  other  voices.  "  Mosquitoes  ! 
Well,  I  should  say  !  they  've  bitten  me  till  I  don't  need  no 
collar-button,  for  there  's  plenty  o'  bumps  in  the  right  place, 

and  as  for  K ,   why  he  has  buttons  all  over  his  face. 

Never  dreamed  anything  living  could  want  ter  tech  him." 

After  luncheon  we  stopped  at  another  small  village,  the 
name  of  which  it  was  impossible  to  learn,  and  there  remained 

until  five,  leaving  stores  on  shore.     Mr.  A escorted  Ivan 

and  me  for  a  short  walk,  but  the  sun  and  mosquitoes  soon 
drove  us  back  ;  we  watched,  with  great  concern  and  anxiety 
the  purser  bargaining  for  more  dogs,  and  groaned  as  first 
one  and  then  another  was  purchased  and  sent  on  board, 
where  the  howling  and  crying  make  such  an  agonising  con- 
cert that  the  passengers  would  gladly  have  clubbed  together 
and  paid  the  higher  price  demanded  farther  up  the  river, 
ratlier  than  suffer  night  and  day.  Many  of  our  passengers 
decided  that  the  hot  sun  was  conducive  to  laundry  work. 

Even  the  dignified  and  pompous  Q found  a  tub,  and  no 

laundress  could  have  put  more  energy  into  the  work,  but  his 


We  Hear  the  Signal  69 

indignation  was  great  when  be  found  that  the  Doctor  had 
secured  a  fine  picture  of  him  at  his  novel  employment.  My 
English  neighbour  said  that  someone  had  offered  to  teach 
him  how  to  wash  his  linen,  that  he  had  taken  great  interest 
in  the  lessons,  but  never  succeeded  in  learning  until  the 
work  was  quite  finished. 

The  tramping  on  the  roof  of  the  barge  has  caused  great 
annoyance  to  all  those  who  were  anxious  to  sleep  before 
midnight,  but  we  had  made  no  complaint,  and  were  not 
aware  that  the  ladder  had  been  taken  away,  until  we  were 
asked  to  sign  a  petition  that  it  should  be  replaced,  upon 
condition  that  all  tramping  overhead  should  cease  at  lo  p.m. 
Shortly  after,  the  roof  was  again  covered  with  promenaders. 

Late  this  evening  the  Leah  sounded  a  whistle  which  told 
us  we  were  to  stop  ;  so  hasty  preparations  were  made  for  a 
walk  on  shore,  but  no  plank  was  put  out,  onl}-  a  man  got 
off  to  inquire  if  the  husband  of  Mrs. ,  one  of  our  pas- 
sengers, was  there.  The  story  quickly  went  the  rounds 
that,  while  she  was  on  her  way  to  meet  him  in  Dawson,  he, 
learning  of  her  intention,  had  "  skipped,"  and  was  "  hurry- 
ing out."  She  had  traced  him  to  this  little  settlement,  where 
lie  had  evaded  her  by  three  hours.  As  we  wended  our  way 
to  our  cabins,  we  found  them  with  great  difEculty,  the  night 
being  unusually  dark.  Lamps  have  been  hung  in  the  mess- 
hall,  but  the  stewards  say  that  the  oil  was  forgotten,  as  well 
as  soap  and  manj-  other  articles  usually  supplied  ;  we  are 
thankful,  however,  at  being  safely  carried  thus  far  on  our 
trip,  but  there  are  plenty  of  "  kickers"  who  complain  at 
getting  so  little  for  three  hundred  dollars. 


CHAPTER   IX 


UP   THE    YUKON 

Wednesday,  July  13th. 

DURING  breakfast  we  stopped  at  another  small  settle- 
ment for  wood,  and  again  at  lunch-time,  when  we  had 
an  opportunity  to  take  a  very  short  walk  and  to  get  a  few 
photographs.  The  squaws  all  covered  their  heads  at  sight  of 
a  camera.  We  thought  them  bashful,  but  a  young  Indian  girl 
explained:  "  Thej-  want  you  to  pay  them  for  being  allowed 
to  take  their  pictures."  At  four,  another  stop,  long  enough 
for  some  of  the  passengers  to  have  a  swim  in  the  Yukon,  and 
for  the  camera  fiends  to  obtain  some  good  views;  a  delightful 

chat  and  tramp  on  shore  with  a  new  passenger,  Mr. , 

who  gave  me  most  interesting  information  about  Dawson. 
While   reading   after   dinner,   who  should  approach  Init 

Colonel  B ,  saying,  "  Do  yer  mind  if  I  take  one  o'  your 

nice  easy  cheers  ?  It  looks  so  comfertable  an'  there  ain't  no 
one  a-usin'  it.  My  wife  she  's  got  a  nice  rockin'-cheer  in  her 
cabin,  made  special  for  her;  yer  see  she  's  so  fat  an'  so  heavy 
she  can't  sit  in  no  ordinary  cheer.  She  weighs  nigh  onto 
three  hundred  pounds.  You  'd  oughter  seen  her  when  we 
was  married,  tho', — the  slimmest  thing  yer  ever  sot  eyes  on." 

Thursday,  July  14th. 

At  two  o'clock  this  morning,  we  tied  up  at  Nulato,  where 
we  remained  cleaning  boilers,  so  we  were  told,  until  eleven. 
Before  going  on  shore  we  read  the  following  from  the  pam- 
phlet which  has  so  often  been  referred  to  :  "At  Nulato,  to 
which  the  Koyukuk  River  paj^s  tribute,  will  be  found  another 
ancient  Russian  post,  and  a  well-established  Catholic  Mis- 

70 


Up  the  Yukon  71 

sion.  In  1838,  one  Malakhof  ascended  the  Yukon  to  Nu- 
lato,  and  there  built  a  small  blockhouse.  He  was  forced  to 
return  to  St.  Michaels  for  supplies,  however,  and  while  he 
was  gone,  the  Indians  burned  his  post.  In  1842,  Lieutenant 
Zagoskin  built  a  new  fort  at  Nulato,  and  established  relations 
with  the  Indians.  Zagoskin  was  aided  in  his  work  by  Derz- 
havin,  one  of  the  intrepid  pathfinders  who  had  set  out  with 
Glazanof  in  1833,  to  penetrate  the  frozen  wilds.  He  it  was 
who  was  in  command  in  1851,  when  the  since  famous  mas- 
sacre by  the  Koyukan  Indians  occurred — famous  because  in 
it  Lieutenant  Barnard  of  the  English  Nas-}',  who  was  there 
with  a  party  searching  for  the  lost  Sir  John  Franklin,  was 
butchered  with  the  rest.  The  Ko3'ukuk  River,  whence  these 
fierce  Indians  came,  has  produced  some  gold,  and  the  tales 
of  the  richness  of  its  bars  have  spread  far  and  wide  among 
the  Alaskan  miners.  The  river  is  navigable  for  a  long  dis- 
tance, but  the  fact  that  the  diggings  are  so  far  from  its  mouth 
has  prevented  their  development  on  account  of  the  difficulty 
in  getting  supplies  to  them.  This  will  soon  be  obviated,  and 
the  Koyukuk  will  offer  comparatively  virgin  ground  for  the 
prospector.  The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  maintains  a 
post  at  Nulato,  and  will  be  prepared  to  provide  the  necessary 
service  on  the  Koyukuk." 

Westarted  fora  tramp  with  Ivan,  but  the  native  dogs,  which 
dared  not  face  him,  set  upon  him  in  a  pack  when  his  back 
was  turned,  causing  him  to  be  ignominiouslj-  sent  on  board. 
A  large  rowboat  from  the  Koyukuk,  containing  two  men 
and  a  woman  wearing  a  sunbonnet,  interested  us  greatly, 
and  still  more,  when  the  latter  told  us  that  just  around  the 

bend,  in  a  boat  with  a  tent,  was  a  Mr.  N ,  partner  of  one 

of  the  men  whom  we  have  ' '  grub-staked  ' '  and  whose  stories 
of  his  life  on  the  Koyukuk  were  so  thrilling  that  we  were 
strongly  tempted  towards  that  river  rather  than  to  make  the 
trip  to  Dawson.  His  nuggets  were  so  large  and  so  valuable, 
his  plans  so  wonderful,  that  had  it  not  been  for  fear  of  the 
Indians  who  we  were  told  were  verj'  savage,  we  should 
have  joined  our  man  and  his  family  on  the  small  yacht  which 
was  being  prepared  in  San  Francisco.     We  had  a  short  inter- 


72 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


view  with  the  partner,  met  a  great  number  of  men  who  had 
' '  gone  in  ' '  with  our  man  the  previous  year,  and  heard  his 
story  and  learned  of  his  daily  life  and  what  he  had  accom- 
plished up  to  the  last  moment  of  his  departure  for  home  to 
sell  his  mines. 

After  dinner,  we  were  comfortably  ensconced  in  our  easy 
chairs  in  the  bow  of  the  barge,  admiring  the  scenery,  which 


was  still  wonderfully  beautiful,  the  air  balmy  and  soft  as 
that  of  springtime  at  Lenox,  when  someone  wished  aloud 

for  an  ice.     E said,  "  Your  wish  can  easily  be  granted, 

if  you  can  get  our  freezer  from  down  below."     Up  jumped 

J and  two  other  men,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  freezer 

was  on  deck,  taken  to  the  steward,  who  supplied  the  sugar, 
cream  (tinned,  of  course),  and  extract,  and  half  an  hour  later 
we  indulged  in  the  first  ice-cream,  according  to  all  accounts, 
that  had  ever  been  served  on  the  Yukon. 


Up  the  Yukon  7^ 

Many  boats  have  passed  us  to-da}-,  containing  from  two 
to  eight  miners  returning  home.  Everyone  shouts  the  same 
question,  "  How  far  ahead  is  the  other  steamer?  "  (meaning 
the  one  belonging  to  the  Columbia  Navigation  Company, 
which  started  two  daj-s  before  us.)  Latest  information  is, 
that  we  are  separated  only  by  four  hours,  consequently  we 
are  wild  to  overtake  her,  and  most  impatient  at  any  deten- 
tion.    Just  before  retiring,  J came  to  me  and  said,  "  I  '11 

give  you  ten  dollars  for  your  freezer."  "  It  cost  fifteen  be- 
fore paying  fifteen  cents  a  pound  freight,"  I  replied.     After 

some  reflection  he  offered  E twentj-  dollars  for  her  half, 

but  she  told  him  that  he  could  not  have  it  at  any  price. 

Friday,  July  15th. 

E came  in  before  I  was  dressed  this  morning,  in  a 

great  state  of  indignation.  "  They  've  taken  Ivan  away," 
she  cried.  "  He  was  lying  quietly  on  the  deck  at  my  side, 
when  the  steward  approached  and  without  saying  so  much 
as  '  b}-  your  leave,'  caught  him  by  the  collar,  and  dragged 
him — not  led  him,  but  dragged  him — to  the  steamer,  and 
chained  him  with  the  band  of  native  dogs  that  make  night 
and  da}'  hideous   with  their  howls.     '  B3'  whose  orders  ? ' 

said  I,"  E continued.     "  '  If  j'ou  want  to  know  you  can 

ask  the  purser,'  he  replied  impertinentlv.  '  I  don't  wish  to 
ask  the  purser,  but  simplj-  want  a  civil  answer  to  a  civil 
question.'     '  Ask  the  captain,  then,'  said  he  ;  '  the  dog  's  a 

d d  nuisance.'     I  then  told  him  that  his  language  and 

behaviour  were  so  disrespectful  that  he  should  be  reported 
to  Mr.  S ,  whereupon  he  sneered,  '  S ,  he  's  got  no- 
thing whatever  to  say  of  this  part  of  the  trip.  I  'm  in  charge 
o'  this  barge,  an'  I  '11  do  as  I  please.'  One  of  the  passengers 
whispered  to  me,  '  Bet  you  did  n't  give  the  steward  five  or 
ten  dollars  before  you  started,  else  you  'd  never  'a'  had  this 
trouble.'  I  told  him  we  always  treated  those  who  served  us 
most  generously,  but  not  those  who  had  earned  nothing. 

Then  X said,  '  This  steward  's  not  onto  his  job  '  ;  while 

B replied,  '  He  wants  to  get  rich  too  fast,  that  's  what  's 

the  matter  with  him.'  "     There  was,  however,  no  redress, 


74  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

and  we  were  glad  to  have  our  attention  diverted  bj'  the 
boat's  stopping  at  Novikakat.  The  pamphlet  was  brought 
into  requisition,  and  I  read  the  following  :  "  Here,  there 
is  an  old-time  Russian  trader  named  Korkorin,  now  en- 
gaged with  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company.  He  has 
reminiscences  of  the  day  when  the  yearly  trip  was  made  to 
St.  Michaels  to  meet  the  lone  vessel  of  the  Russian  American 
Company,  of  the  feasts  of  that  holidaj-  time,  and  of  the 
struggle  against  famine  during  many  winters.  There  has 
been  some  prospecting  in  the  streams  about  Novikakat,  but 
the  results  are  as  3'et  indefinite." 

On  shore  we  went,  but  failed  to  find  Korkorin  at  his  post. 
E stopped  at  an  Indian  tent,  where  she  had  just  con- 
cluded the  purchase  of  a  lot  of  marten  skins  at  four  dollars 
each,  when  one  of  our  passengers  entered,  and,  being  a  half- 
breed,  engaged  in  a  fluent  conversation  with  the  proprietor 
in  the  native  tongue,  which  E ■,  consequently,  was  un- 
able to  understand,  so  was  filled  with  astonishment  when 
informed  that  the  skins  were  not  for  sale.  Shortly  after- 
wards a  relative  of  the  Indian  maiden  came  on  board,  with 

the  skins  of  which  E had  been  deprived.     My  time  on 

shore  was  spent  in  gathering  wild  pink  roses,  with  which 
to  decorate  the  dinner-table,  and  quantities  of  a  flower  the 
colour  of  heather,  but  with  very  long  stems.  I  have  omitted 
to  say  that  at  the  preceding  stopping-place  we  found 
groundsel  growing  wild,  and  many  were  the  offerings  to  the 
only  canary  on  board,  who  appreciated  it  immensely.  We 
sat  in  our  easy  chairs  in  the  bow  of  the  boat  enjoying  the 
marvellous  scenery,  and  the  freedom  from  gnats  and  mos- 
quitoes which  here  are  replaced  by  enormous  horse-flies. 
Tales  were  being  related  of  the  different  passengers  who 
were  anxious  to  be  grub-staked,  and  Mr.  R said,  "  Wo- 
men are  certainly  incomprehensible.  Let  a  man  go  to  them 
as  a  gentleman,  and  offer  them  fine  claims  !  Do  you  think 
they  will  listen  to  him  ?  No  !  they  suspect  a  swindle  every 
time  ;  but  he  has  only  to  pose  as  a  rough  miner  to  be  at  once 
believed,  and  to  fill  their  souls  with  confidence." 

Towards  evening,  the  Maivarct,  belonging  to  the  Alaska 


Up  the  Yukon 


/o 


Cotnniercial  Company,  was  seen  001111112:  toward  us,  and  ex- 
citement was  rife  as  she  tied  up  alongside.  The  usual  rush 
was  made  for  letters  to  send  home.  Instead  of  asking  us 
for  war  news,  her  passengers  told  us  that  papers  of  the  29th 
had  alread}'  reached  Dawson  from  "  over  the  Pass,"  bring- 
ing tidings  that  although  we  had  captured  Havana,  Hobson 
and  his  brave  men  had  been  shot,  and  two  of  our  ships  lost. 


RAFT   ON    THE   YUKON. 

They  also  warned  us  to  turn  back,  as  had  all  those  in  the 
small  boats  passed  during  the  day  ;  but  such  advice  only 
creates  laughter,  as  the  constant  repetition  seems  ridiculous 
to  those  who  have  more  than  half  finished  so  long  a  journey. 
We  lost  but  one  of  our  passengers.     The  Indian  maiden  who 

had  interrupted  E 's  purchase  of  furs,  being  on  her  way 

to  Dawson  to  meet  her  sister,  found  that  she  was  on  the 
A/aj-garei,  "  going  out,"  sober  gripsack  was  quickly  packed, 
and  she  departed.     The  Margaret  was  crowded  to  that  de- 


76  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

gree  that  men  were  sleeping  on  tables,  under  tables,  and 
even  on  the  cords  of  wood  on  deck,  and  they  informed  us 
that,  as  there  are  still  thousands  waiting  to  "  go  out,"  there 
was  little  chance  for  newcomers  to  secure  transportation 
down  the  Yukon.  Before  reaching  the  Margaret  we  had  a 
pilot  who  had  landed  us  on  sand-bars  twice  during  the  day, 
so  we  speedily  exchanged  him  for  the  one  who  had  brought 
this  craft  safely  down  the  river. 

Saturday,  July  l6th. 

If  the  scenery  j-esterday  was  grand,  what  can  be  said  of 
that  through  which  we  have  been  passing  to-day  ?  Mount- 
ains, and  relay's  of  mountains,  narrow  gorges,  rapids,  all  that 
is  most  wild  and  picturesque  !  We  had  been  too  rapt  in  ad- 
miration even  to  read,  but,  as  there  must  be  ever  a  slight 
blot  on  all  that  is  beautiful,  so  this  scene  was  partially 
marred  by  the  gradual  approach  of  a  heavy  fog,  as  we 
thought  it,  until  the  air  became  laden  with  smoke,  and,  as 
night  came  on,  we  saw  that  the  mountains  on  all  sides  were 
on  fire.  Truly  a  gorgeous  sight,  which  would  have  been 
still  more  brilliant  had  it  not  been  for  the  ball  of  fire  that 
hung  in  the  west,  making  all  else  insignificant  b_v  compar- 
ison. All  day  we  had  steamed  without  stopping.  At  last  in 
the  distance  we  beheld  great  stacks  of  wood  piled  high  on  the 
shore,  so  all  made  preparations  for  a  short  tramp,  until  the 
captain  shouted,  "  How  much  for  the  wood  ?  "  "  Fifteen 
dollars  a  cord,"  was  the  replj-.  "  Keep  it," — and  on  we  went. 
Just  bej-ond,  another  lot  was  plainly  visible,  but  for  that 
seventeen  dollars  a  cord  was  asked  ;  at  the  third  place, 
twenty,  which  caused  the  passengers  to  discuss  the  likeli- 
hood of  being  called  on  to  fell  trees,  in  order  that  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  should  not  be  obliged  to  pay  such  ex- 
orbitant prices. 

At  last.  Fort  Adams  was  in  sight,  and  as  we  had  read  of 
the  "  Episcopal  church  and  Mission,"  where  the  :hildren 
of  the  school  were  "  particularly  proficient,"  and  that  there 
was  also  "  a  trading  post  and  something  in  the  wa>-  of 
gardening,"  we  were  looking  forward  to  an  interesting  half- 
hour,  only  to  be  disappointed,  as  no  one  was  allowed  to  land. 


Up  the  Yukon  n 

We  also  passed  in  the  night,  without  seeing,  "  Tanana  or 
Niikhikyets — an  important  trading  post,  for  here  there  comes 
into  the  Yukon,  from  one  side,  the  trade  of  the  Tozikakat 
River,  and  from  the  other,  that  of  the  great  Tanana.  The 
Tanana  drains  the  country  lying  between  the  Copper  River 
and  the  Yukon,  as  far  south  as  the  White  River.  It  is  ex- 
pected that  the  countr}^  about  the  head  waters  will  prove 
one  of  the  richest  in  all  the  land,  when  once  it  has  been 
prospected.  Little  is  known,  however,  of  the  river,  and  the 
Indians  who  guard  its  treasures  are  inclined  to  be  hostile. 
However,  at  Tanana,  there  is  an  interesting  store  and  an 
enormous  turnip  patch,  which  latter  indicates  that  could  all 
men  live  after  the  famous  recommendation  of  Colonel  Sellers 
on  '  turnips  and  water,'  there  need  be  no  starvation  in  the 
land.      The  store  is  operated  for  the  Alaska  Commercial 

Company  by  A M ,  once  a  circus  man,  but  who  has 

been  in  Alaska  for  thirtj-  years.  Here,  the  Indians,  from  as 
far  as  the  sources  of  the  Tanana,  come  to  exchange  their  fish, 
and  furs  for  powder,  lead,  and  some  of  the  edible  comforts  of 
civilisation." 

After  dinner  there  was  a  concert  in  the  mess-hall  of  the 
barge — music-box,  graphophone,  violins,  etc., — but  although 
we  heard  at  intervals  the  clapping  of  many  hands,  the  grand- 
eur of  the  scenery  kept  us  spellbound  to  the  deck.  "  I  'd 
just  like  to  catch  him  at  it,"  growled  a  voice  near  us.  "  Me 
too  !  I  would  n't  give  him  time  to  say  his  prayers  !  \Vh}', 
that  's  the  lowest  kind  o'  stealing,  to  take  our  champagne 
when  it  's  all  we  've  got  and  no  more  to  be  had  for  love  or 
money.  How  do  you  s'pose  he  managed  to  smuggle  them 
out  o'  the  cabin  ?  " — "  Oh,  did  it  when  everybody  else  was 
on  shore." — "  Yes,  but  where  has  he  hid  the  stuff?  I  move 
we  have  a  general  search  made." — "  How  many  bottles  did 
he  take  ?  " — "  Why,  eight  ;  we  had  four  the  other  night  be- 
tween us,  out  o'  the  dozen.      Pit}'  we  had  n't  drunk  'em  all; 

and  now  here  's  R had  six  pairs  o'  muck-a-lucks  stolen 

right  out  of  his  bag,  and  no  trace  of  them  or  of  the  thief.  If 
you  leave  a  paper  or  magazine  on  the  table  you  may  bet 
your  life  you  '11  never  see  it  again,  but  what  's  the  use  o' 


78  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

complainin'  ?  nobody  pajs  the  least  attention  to  it."     This 

recalled  to  me  that  E 's  fountain-pen   had  been  taken 

from  her  cabin,  and  that  the  thief  must  have  had  abundance 
of  time,  as  he  had  stopped  to  fill  it  ;  while  my  bag,  which 
was  in  the  mess-hall  with  three  locked  straps  on  it,  had  been 
cut  down  the  side  and  the  articles  extracted  therefrom.  I 
had  sent  the  purser  a  note  calling  his  attention  to  the  fact, 
but  not  a  word  did  he  condescend  to  give  in  reply,  although 
my  cabin-boy  had  orders  to  wait  for  an  answer. 

We  remained  on  deck  until  eleven,  hoping  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  Rampart  City,  but  found  that  we  were  not  to 
make  that  settlement  until  2  a.m.  We  might  just  as  well 
have  remained  up,  for  when  we  did  get  there  sleep  was  im- 
possible. One  of  the  passengers  had  brought  out  some 
whiskej',  and  was  treating  the  crowd  in  the  hall  before  our 
door.  Such  a  babel  of  voices  !  And  we  were  told  the  fol- 
lowing day  that  the  supply  of  whiskey  in  Rampart  having 
given  out,  her  citizens  were  offering  our  passengers  nine 
dollars  a  bottle.  W^e  breathed  a  sigh  of  relief  as  the  whistle 
blew,  the  men  rushed  for  shore,  and  we  slowly  steamed 
away  ;  then  came  the  howling  and  yelping  of  the  dogs, 
which  lasted  until  drowned  by  the  clattering  of  dishes  and 
preparations  for  breakfast. 

Sunday,  July  17th. 

Women  in  the  dining-room  sewing  ;  men  on  deck  with 
rifles,  waiting  for  something  at  which  to  shoot  !  At  ten,  we 
stopped  at  a  bank  where  there  was  a  coal  sign.  The  usual 
question  was  a.sked,  and  as  this  fuel  cost  only  ten  dollars  a 
ton  we  took  on  board  a  goodly  quantity  of  stuff  which  looked 
like  black  dust.  We  were  told  that  this  condition  was  due 
to  the  coal's  having  been  frozen,  so  that  it  could  not  be  ex- 
tracted in  large  bits.  Poor  Ivan  was  let  loose  from  the  ter- 
rible heat  of  the  engine-room  and  the  howling  of  the  other 
dogs,  which  is  so  racking  to  the  nerves  that  we  now  fear  his 
good  habits  may  be  spoiled  and  his  training  prove  non- 
efl"ective  by  association  with  these  "  Siwash "  mongrels. 
To  think  that  sixty  dollars  was  the  price  paid  for  such 
quarters  and  companionship  just  from  St.  Michaels  to  Daw- 


Up  the  Yukon  79 

son,  and  we  supply  the  dog's  food  !  How  we  longed  for 
Sunday-  peace  and  quiet  after  such  a  night,  but  it  was  not 
to  be. 

Scarcely'  were  we  again  on  our  way  when  our  ears  were 
pierced  by  the  rasping  noise  of  a  badly  played  violin,  which 
had  to  be  endured  until  the  bell  rang  for  luncheon.  Later 
in  the  day,  the  sky  grew  dark,  then  leaden  coloured.  A 
storm  was  brewing.  Nervous  women,  terrified  at  the 
thought  of  a  thunder-storm  amidst  the  mountains,  flocked 
into  the  dining-room  like  a  herd  of  sheep — only  to  be  to- 
gether. The  scene  soon  became  one  of  most  imposing  grand- 
eur, in  which  I  revelled,  seated  alone  in  the  bow  of  the 
boat,  well  protected  bj-  cap  and  mackintosh,  as  the  rain  came 
down  in  torrents.  I  was  roused  by  hearing  in  coarse  tones, — 
"  Wa'al,  I  've  often  heern  tell  on  people  what  did  n't  know 
enuff  to  come  in  when  it  rained,  but  I  never  seen  one  afore, 
an'  detarmined  to  sit  out  in  such  a  downpour.  Why,  she  '11 
have  rheumatiz  sure  as  fate."  Another  approached,  say- 
ing, "  Mrs.  H ,  if  3-ou  don't  come  in  from  that  there  rain, 

we  '11  have  to  kerr}-  you  in,  cheer  an'  all,"  and  so  were  my 
thoughts  brought  down  from  the  sublime  and  magnificent. 

Shortly  after,  the  Doctor  came  to  ask  if  I  would  not  like  to 

meet  and  talk  with  the  famous  Hank  S ,  saying,  "  You 

don't  want  me  to  bring  him  out  here  in  the  rain,  so  let  us 
all  sit  inside."  Following  the  Doctor,  I  soon  came  face  to 
face  with  the  new  passenger,  one  of  the  noted  miners  of  this 
part  of  the  world,  who,  having  passed  eight  years  in  Alaska, 
had  left  Dawson  onl}'  eight  days  previously,  consequently, 
his  conversation  was  of  intense  interest  ;  but  he  gave  us  the 
same  advice  as  we  have  heretofore  received  from  all  others  : 
"  Better  turn  back,  even  at  this  late  daj-,  for  typhoid  fever 
and  malaria  are  raging.  Even  those  on  the  hill  are  not  free 
from  what  mav  soon  become  an  epidemic,  and  there  are  not 
steamers  enough  to  transport  those  waiting  to  leave.  Unless 
this  exorbitant  Canadian  royalty  be  soon  repealed,  there  will 
be  no  more  mines  worked,  as  even  the  richest  claim-owners 
are  unwilling  to  paj^  ten  per  cent,  to  such  extortionists." 
Mr.  S then  showed  us  the  beautiful  big  nugget  he  had 


8o  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

first  panned  out,  a  ring  made  from  gold  taken  from  one  of  his 
claims,  and  told  of  the  man  who  had  first  grub-staked  him, 
to  whom  he  was  able  to  send  twelve  thousand  dollars 
in  ninety  days.  But  grub-staking  is  rarely  so  profitable, 
for  many  tales  do  we  hear  of  these  men  who,  after  striking 
it  rich,  forget  those  who  have  assisted  them  in  time  of  need, 
sell  their  claims,  carrying  the  result  where  it  cannot  be 
reached  by  the  rightful  owner,  who,  according  to  miners' 
laws  and  agreements,  is  entitled  to  one-half.  "  Have  you 
seen  Rampart  ?  "  he  asked.  "  No  ;  what  does  the  pamphlet 
say  about  it  ?  "  E inquired,  and  I  read  the  following  : 

' '  Then  come  the  Lower  Ramparts,  where  the  water  goes 
furiou.sly  between  great  walls  rivalling  in  picturesqueness 
the  famed  Palisades  of  the  Hudson.  During  the  highest 
freshets,  the  current  is  said  to  attain  a  speed  of  eleven  knots 
in  the  rapids.  But  the  ingoing  miner  will  be  most  interested 
in  Rampart  City,  near  the  mouth  of  Big  Minook  Creek,  be- 
cause this  new  city  is  the  commercial  centre  of  the  Minook 
Mining  District,  where  will  be  found  the  first  definite  mining 
as  yet  encountered  on  the  journey.  Here  is  a  bustling  town 
grown  up  around  the  big  new  store  and  warehouse  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company.  From  this,  the  miners  carry 
their  supplies  in  all  directions  to  the  claims  on  Little  Mi- 
nook, Hunter,  Alder,  and  the  many  ether  gold-bearing 
creeks  in  the  neighbourhood.  They  are  always  certain  of 
a  plentiful  food  supply,  there  being  none  of  the  bars  to 
navigation  below  Minook  which  make  the  later  trips  so 
uncertain  on  the  upper  river.  On  account  of  the  numbers 
who  have  settled  at  Rampart  City,  the  entire  country 
round  about  will  undoubtedly  be  thoroughly  prospected. 
Expeditions  across  the  Divide,  into  the  Koyukuk  head 
waters  have  been  planned,  and  it  is  quite  probable  that 
Rampart  City  will  become  the  point  of  supply  for  Koyukuk 
mines."  What  a  pity  that  we  were  unable  to  visit  so  thriv- 
ing a  place,  but  we  'U  do  it  on  our  return  trip. 

At  each  point  we  rounded,  we  gazed  longingly  for  Fort 
Hamlin,  of  which  we  had  been  reading  from  the  same  au- 
thority; "It  is  the  next  important  post.     Here  are  large 


Up  the  Yukon 


warehouses  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company.  These  are 
generally  filled  with  stores,  waiting  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
different  mining-camps."  Towards  ten  o'clock  a  turn  in  the 
river  showed  Fort  Hamlin  directly  before  us,  and  a  small 
steamer  tied  to  a  tree.  We  prepared  for  the  anticipated 
tramp,  but  to  our  keen  disappointment  there  was  no  wood 
to  be  had,  so  on  we  went,  after  having  "  slowed  up"  long 
enough  to  talk  with  the  captain  of  the  I'idoria.  The  ru- 
mour was  that  she  had  come  to  assist  in  towing  our  barge 
over  the  Yukon  Flats,  but  we  went  on  without  her. 


CHAPTER  X 


DISCOMFORT   OF    BARGE    LIFE 

Mondaj-,  July  iSth. 

LAST  night  on  reaching  my  cabin,  mattress  and  pillow 
were  wet  with  the  rain  that  had  leaked  in,  but  having 
learned  the  lesson  that  "  kickers  "  are  treated  with  contempt 
and  discourtes}%  the  only  thing  to  be  done  was  to  bear  it  un- 
complainingly, and  roll  up  in  blankets  with  a  life-preserver 
for  a  pillow.  Wakened  at  5  a.m.  by  the  Victoria  bumping 
against  the  barge,  men  running  along  the  ledge  before  the 
windows,  and  directions  being  shouted  to  make  fast  along- 
side ;  then  followed  the  awful  howling  of  the  dogs  ;  then 
preparations  for  breakfast,  and  no  chance  to  sleep  for  another 
eighteen  hours  at  least.  From  overhead  we  heard  shouts  of 
"  Moose  "  and  "  Bear."  Men  called  excitedly  to  others  to 
get  their  rifles,  as  the  animals  were  swimming  across  the 
river,  but  nothing  came  within  reach.  After  breakfast  we 
looked  for  the  J'idoria,  which  was  nowhere  in  sight.  One 
of  the  passengers  informed  us  that  her  captain  had  let  go 
the  bow-line  instead  of  the  stern,  when  the  current  caught 
her,  threw  her  against  our  ropes  and  broke  her  paddle-wheel, 
so  that  she  had  been  obliged  to  lay  up  for  repairs.  In  tying 
up  at  the  next  wood-pile,  our  barge  was  detached  from  the 
Leah,  many  of  whose  passengers  were  visiting  us  ;  a  plank 
was  thrown  across  but  it  was  so  narrow  that  they  did  not 
dare  to  cross,  and  so  were  prisoners  for  luncheon. 

At  our  next  stopping-place  we  were  met  by  two  men  from 
Halifax,  who  had  spent  eight  days  in  Dawson,  had  had 
enough,  and  were  on  their  return  trip.     They  managed  to 

S2 


84  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

live  by  chopping  wood  for  river  steamers  wherever  they  hap- 
pened to  camp  for  the  night  and  received  from  our  purser 
fifteen  dollars  a  cord.  A  general  "  kick  "  was  inaugurated 
when  the  steward  announced  dinner  at  half-past  four  this 
afternoon,  the  men  saying  that  the  hour  had  been  constantly 
advanced  since  leaving  St.  Michaels,  until  now,  b\-  having 
the  last  meal  so  early,  they  are  forced  into  paying  for  sup- 
pers and  feeing  the  boys  for  extra  work.  Another  wrong 
was  also  righted  after  a  fashion,  this  evening.  During  the 
entire  trip,  men  have  been  complaining  from  time  to  time 
that  their  cargo  was  being  ruined.  Notwithstanding  this, 
matters  were  left  without  investigation,  until  one  of  the 
captain's  favourites  went  down  to  procure  some  articles  from 
her  trunk.  She  returned  most  unhappy  over  its  condition 
and  must  have  gone  at  once  to  him,  for  scarcely  had  we 
finished  dinner,  when  he  accompanied  her  to  the  hatchwaj-, 
had  it  opened,  sent  some  of  his  men  down  and  had  all  trunks 
brought  on  deck.  Up  they  came,  covered  with  mould,  then 
wet  mattresses,  and  small  tents  mildewed  ;  the  passengers 
on   all    sides    looked   on,    groaning,    "What    a    shame!" 

' '  D d  outrage  !  "     "  Our  goods  packed  where  they  can 

be  ruined  and  the  Company's  goods  nicely  stored  in  high, 
dry  space  on  the  steamer!"  However,  we  are  lucky  to 
have  our  boxes  up,  even  though  our  stores  are  still  in  the 
dampness  ;  and  we  are  told  that  our  beautiful  new  tent  is 
not  fit  to  be  seen. 

Tuesday,  July  19th. 

A  very  quiet  day  !  Scarcely  anything  to  record  except 
stopping  at  10  a.m.  to  take  on  six  cords  of  wood,  where,  un- 
fortunately, the  banks  were  so  steep  and  the  woods  so  filled 
with  mosquitoes,  that  few  of  us  were  able  to  land,  and  were 
thankful  to  get  away  from  the  heat,  for  there  is  always  a 
pleasant  breeze  while  travelling  on  the  Yukon,  no  matter 
how  intense  the  rays  of  the  sun.  At  4  p.m.  another  hour  at 
a  wood-pile,  but  the  drift-wood  was  so  thick  along  the  banks, 
that  one  walked  with  diflSculty,  as  it  cracked  and  broke  under 
the  feet  at  each  step.  The  protest  against  early  dinner  has 
had  its  effect,  and  the  bell  was  not  rinig  until  after  five. 


Discomfort  of  Barge  Life  85 

The  nights  are  deliciously  cool.  Hardh-  do  we  finish 
dinner,  before  an  icy  breath  passes  through  the  air  and 
robes  and  wraps  are  in  demand.  Not  a  star  has  been 
visible  in  the  heavens  since  we  left  St.  Michaels,  and  to- 
night as  we  sat  in  our  little  corner  of  the  barge  peacefully 
discussing  that  and  other  astronomical  subjects,  we  were 
startled  bj-  an  unusual  invasion  of  mosquitoes,  which  at- 
tacked so  ferociously-  that  even  our  shields  afforded  little  pro- 
tection, and  we  were  driven  to  our  cabins,  there  to  wage  war 
until  5  A.M.,  when  the  attack  suddenly  ceased.  We  fell  into 
a  delicious  sleep,  which  lasted  about  fifteen  minutes,  then 
chairs  were  dragged  horn  under  the  tables,  and  the  stewards, 
who  were  sweeping  the  dining-room,  engaged  in  loud  con- 
versation. Groans  were  heard  on  all  sides,  and  when  the 
bell  rang  calling  passengers  to  breakfast  they  would  gladly 
have  had  quiet  and  sleep  in  preference  to  all  the  delicacies 
of  the  season. 

Wednesday,  July  20th. 

We  are  all  indignant  this  morning.  The  Sovereign  passed 
us  at  six  o'clock  and  here  we  are  three  hours  later,  tied  up 
again  to  the  bank,  and  have  been  for  the  last  hour  and  no- 
body knows  the  reason  why,  although  questions  have  been 
freely  asked.     We  are  chafing  under  the  detention. 

9.30.  The  llctoria,  having  repaired  damages,  has  now 
overtaken  us  and  is  alongside  ready  to  assist  in  towing. 
Predictions  are  rife  that  she  will  bring  us  bad  luck.  We  are 
now  in  the  Yukon  Flats,  of  which  our  guide-book  says  : 
"  These  extend  from  Fort  Hamlin  clear  to  Circle  Citj-,  a 
distance  of  about  four  hundred  miles.  The  river  widens 
and  the  water  flows  in  many  channels,  between  number- 
less islands  ;  undoubtedly  there  was  once  a  great  lake  in 
the  basin,  larger  than  anj'  lake  of  to-day.  At  the  Ram- 
parts there  probably  was  a  fall  greater  than  Niagara,  be- 
fore the  water  cut  its  way  through  the  mountains,  and 
drained  the  lake  into  the  sea.  After  the  waters  subsided 
the  flats  became  the  home  of  the  mastodon,  the  fossil  remains 
and  ivory  tusks  of  this  great  animal  being  found  here  in 
profuision,  especially  on  Mammoth  Island,  which  seems  to 


86  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

have  been  a  bun'ing-place  for  them.  Indian  stories  come 
drifting  along  occasionally  to  the  effect  that  some  of  these 
monsters  are  still  alive  in  the  comparatively  unexplored 
territory  around  the  head  waters  of  Copper  River,  but  the 
yarns  are  probably  as  apocryphal  as  that  about  Alexander 
Badlam's  side-hill  bear  which  had  the  legs  on  one  side  of 
the  body  '  longer  than  they  really  ought  to  be.' 

"  Into  the  Yukon  Flats  empty  the  Porcupine  River,  Birch 
Creek  and  other  streams,  and  in  its  course  through  them  the 
Yukon  touches  its  most  northern  point,  an  elbow  sticking  up 
into  the  confines  of  the  Arctic  Circle.  Here,  just  at  the 
point  of  the  elbow  is  Fort  Yukon,  and  there  Russian  domin- 
ance gave  way  in  the  early  days  to  English  sway.  Old 
Fort  Yukon  was  established  b}'  the  Hudson  Bay  Company, 
its  agents  coming  over  from  the  Mackenzie  by  way  of  the 
Porcupine,  and  establishing  their  post  near  the  point  where 
the  northern  river  entered  the  Yukon.  A  few  traces  of  the 
old  fort  remain  a  short  distance  from  the  newer  settlement. 
Here  the  English  Compan}'  introduced  its  '  huskies '  in 
place  of  the  wolf-dog  of  the  Eskimo  and  carried  on  an  ex- 
tensive fur  trade  until  it  was  found  that  the  English  had  no 
right  to  the  country.  All  supplies  came  in,  and  all  ship- 
ments went  out  b)'  the  Porcupine,  the  Mackenzie,  and  the 
great  Canadian  lakes.  In  this  way  Fort  Yukon  became  one 
of  the  most  remote  outposts  of  the  white  man.  At  present, 
there  is  comparati\-eIy  little  business  transacted  there,  though 
there  is  an  Episcopal  mission  and  school,  and  quite  a 
settlement  of  Fort  Yukon  Indians.  At  Fort  Yukon,  the 
traveller  is  well  within  the  land  ot  the  midnight  sun,  for 
here  at  midnight  a  photograph  was  taken  of  great  game, 
killed  by  the  light  of  the  same  unquenching  orb.  Here, 
too,  in  dead  of  winter,  the  aurora  borealis  makes  its  most 
gorgeous  displays  when  '  the  northern  lights  come  down 
o'  nights  to  dance  with  the  houseless  snow.'  " 

Thursday,  July  2lst. 
After  having  read  and  copied  the  foregoing  in  regard  to 
Fort  Yukon,  we  passed  without  running  in,  but  congratu- 


Discomfort  of  Barge  Life  87 

lated  ourselves,  as  we  saw  the  Sovci-cigu  not  far  ahead,  that 
plans  were  being  made  to  overtake  her.  To  our  great  dis- 
gust, however,  we  were  soon  tied  up  to  another  wood-pile 
where  we  remained  until  midnight,  groaning  and  suffering 
under  attacks  of  myriads  and  myriads  of  ravenous  mosquitoes 
and  vicious  gnats.  Some  of  the  passengers  assisted  in  pre- 
parations for  arranging  two  new  rudders,  without  which  the 
captain  dared  go  no  farther  into  the  Flats.  A  short  walk  on 
shore  through  the  driftwood  and  dead  branches  resulted  in 
a  torn  skirt  and  defaced  shoes,  only  compensated  for  by  a 
few  new  photographs. 

After  dinner  E and  I  were  joined  on  deck  by  a  pleasant 

parly.     "  What  was  all  the  noise  last  night?"  said  R . 

"Is  it  possible   that  anybodj-  on  board  could  have   slept 

through  it  ?  "  replied  D .      "  Why,  the  Victoria  overtook 

us,  and  as  she  has  no  cage  to  protect  us  from  the  cinders, 
they  fell  in  a  shower  over  the  top  of  the  barge  and  set  fire  to 
it  several  times,  so  that  some  of  the  boys  had  to  stay  up 
there  with  buckets  of  water.  Poor  Mrs.  H lost  her  beau- 
tiful new  hammock-chair,  which  went  up  in  a  blaze,  P 

and  several  other  fellows  had  their  coats  burned,  and  I  guess 
it  is  going  to  do  some  damage  to  us  now,"  said  he,  .springing 
up  as  the  wind  changed  and  a  shower  of  cinders  covered  us. 
The  gale  became  stronger,  the  sky  so  black  that  it  seemed  as 
though  a  terrible  typhoon  was  approaching.  We  sought 
refuge  in  the  dining-hall  where  manj-  of  the  passengers 
were  plaj-ing  whist,  cribbage,  and  muggins.  The  stewards, 
cabin-boys,  and  cook  were  seated  familiarly  at  the  same 
table,  and,  notwithstanding  the  signs  of  "  No  smoking," 
which  are  posted  in  different  parts  of  the  mess-room,  cigars, 
cigarettes,  and  pipes  were  being  freelj^  used,  the  odour  of 
bad  tobacco  filling  this,  the  only  sitting-room,  and  penetrat- 
ing through  the  lattice-work  into  the  cabins  on  either  side. 

Friday,  July  22nd. 
Awakened  this  morning  by  the  J'^idoria  s  hem^  changed 
and  tied  up  outside  of  our  cabin  window,  shutting  off  light 
and  air,   and  we  were  obliged  to   make  it  Still  darker  by 


88  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

drawing  the  curtains,  as  there  were  men  on  her  decks,  con- 
versing in  loud  tones.  To  the  usual  slamming  of  chairs  and 
dishes,  loud  whistling  was  added,  until  the  noise  became 
deafening.  From  eleven  till  two  we  were  tied  up  to  the 
banks.  At  noon,  to  the  anger  and  disgust  of  all  the 
passengers,  tXieJohn  C.  Ban;  of  the  North  American  Trans- 
portation Company,  passed  us,  those  on  board  waving  hand- 
kerchiefs and  hats,  hurrahing,  hurling  shouts  of  derision, 
calling  that  they  would  wait  for  us  in  Dawson,  etc.  Then 
the  "  kicking  "  from  our  passengers  began,  and  these  ex- 
pressions were  heard:  "  What  did  they  tell  us  in  San  Fran- 
cisco ?  That  we  should  be  the  first  ones  to  arrive  !  that  no 
other  company  would  be  able  to  keep  such  a  promise.  Oh, 
no  !  and  here  we  are,  sent  on  a  steamer  towing  a  heavy 
barge,  crawling  at  a  snail's  pace,  so  as  to  carry  in  the  Com- 
pany's freight.  Last  night  we  was  within  thirty-five  miles 
of  Circle  City  and  here  we  are,  nearly  eighteen  hours  after, 
tied  up  at  a  wood-pile,  with  still  ten  miles  to  make  and 
everything  on  the  river  passin'  us.  Oh  !  we  're  in  luck,  we 
are  !  The  Sovereign,  the  Monarch,  and  the  Barr  all  ahead 
of  us,  their  passengers  to  get  the  good  claims,  the  best  cabins, 
the  best  of  everj'thing,  while  we  who  paid  extra  for  just  such 
luck  are  left  here  to  kick  our  heels  on  the  bank  !  "  Such  an 
unhappy  lot ! 

We  had  half  an  hour's  tramp  on  shore,  where  we  were 
surprised  at  being  able  to  gather  mulberries,  currants,  and 
raspberries,  which  grew  wild.  W^e  had  an  inter\'iew  with 
Rip  Van  Winkle's  double,  who  has  lived  here  some  years 
raising  turnips,  radishes,  lettuce,  and  carrying  them  over 
the  trail  to  Circle  City.  He  was  doing  well  until  the  river 
rose  and  carried  away  his  entire  garden.  What  a  delicious 
luncheon  we  had  ! — fresh  radishes  and  sweet  potatoes,  which 
never  before  had  we  properly  appreciated.  At  4.30  p.m.  we 
reached  Circle  City,  and  were  delighted  to  see  Xhejohn  Barr 
tied  to  the  banks,  but  alas  !  she  pushed  off  even  as  we  ar- 
rived and  her  passengers  .shouted,  "  We  will  deliver  our  own 
messages  in  Dawson,  thank  you,  and  will  not  trouble  you, 
who  have  tarried  so  long  by  the  way,  to  give  them."     The 


Discomfort  of  Barge  Life  89 

plank  was  soon  out,  and  here  some  half-dozen  passengers 
left  us  to  tempt  fortune  in  a  strange  land.  The  French  girl 
who  had  informed  us  that  she  was  to  be  married  on  arrival, 
as  her  fiance  had  sent  for  her,  had  basely  deceived  us  if  a 
newcomer  was  to  be  believed,  who  said  that  she  had  been 
sent  for  to  be  their  cook  at  one  hundred  dollars  a  month. 

We  were  greatly  astonished  at  the  size  of  Circle  City. 
We  went  first  to  the  post-ofiice,  simply  to  see  it,  expecting 
nothing  and  receiving  nothing.  We  concluded  afterwards 
to  post  our  letters  home  from  there,  although  told  that  they 
would  go  more  quickly  via  Dawson  and  the  Pass  ;  still,  we 
wanted  the  Circle  City  stamp  on  the  envelope,  for  who  can 
tell  how  much  longer  the  town  may  exist.     The  Doctor 

overtook  us,  and  presented  the  famous  pioneer,  Mr.  M , 

who  has  been  thirty-five  years  in  Alaska,  and  has  a  hand- 
some Indian  wife.  He  informed  us  that,  although  Dawson 
has  a  population  of  from  ten  to  fortj-  thousand.  Circle  City 
contains  more  houses,  and  is  much  healthier,  as  the  former 
is  in  a  frightful  sanitary  condition.  We  peeped  into  the 
dance-hall,  and  were  told  of  an  entertainment  that  had  taken 
place  the  previous  night  which,  in  the  words  of  our  in- 
formant, "  even  the  nicest  people  from  the  other  steamer 
attended,  and  thej'  did  n't  put  on  no  airs,  but  followed  the 
rule  of  the  mining-camp,  and  danced  with  every  fellow  what 
asked  'em.  They  don't  ask  nothing  to  go  in,  but  you  have 
to  order  a  drink  fer  each  girl  you  dance  with,  and  every 
drink  costs  a  dollar."  We  also  peeped  into  a  couple  of 
restaurants,  saw  fine-looking  bread  at  twenty-five  cents  a 
loaf,  pies  fifty  cents  each,  clam-chowder  fifty  cents,  and  the 
tables  covered  with  daintj'  white  linen.  In  the  midst  of  in- 
vestigations which  we  were  highly  enjoying  the  dinner-bell 
called  us  back  to  the  barge.  There  was  the  usual  grum- 
bling,— "  Why  could  n't  they  have  postponed  it  a  little 
while  ?  "  etc.  We  were  stopped  by  Mr.  P ,  who  intro- 
duced to  us  a  man  of  about  thirty  years  of  age.  "  Have  you 
been  here  long  ?  "  I  questioned.  "  Why,  I  'm  the  Mayor," 
he  replied  ;  "  and  this  is  my  fourth  year  at  Circle." 

A  second  ringing  of  the  bell  reminded  us  that  we  were  keep- 


90  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ing  the  stewards  waiting,  and  that  it  was  already  after  five, 
so  we  joined  the  crowd  who  were  all  going  on  board  under 
protest.     After  dinner  we  were  grieved  at  being  obliged  to 

say  farewell  to  Mr.  S ,  one  of  the  most  popular  of  our 

passengers.  May  good  luck  attend  him  !  His  hand  was 
shaken  again  and  again  by  those  who  were  sad  indeed  to 
leave  him  behind,  and  his  loss  will  be  mourned  by  more 
than  one.  We  had  two  new  and  entertaining  arrivals  who 
contradicted  many  of  the  stories  we  had  heard  of  Dawson. 
In  fact,  all  stories  in  this  part  of  the  world  seem  to  be  told 
but  to  be  contradicted.  According  to  the  newcomers, 
Dawson  is  exceedingly  health}-,  prices  are  very  low — bacon 
only  twent}'  cents  a  pound,  whereas  we  are  paying  fifteen 
cents  a  pound  freight,  while  this,  added  to  original  price 
and  dutj'  to  be  paid,  would  prove  it  wiser  to  start  empty- 
handed  and  purchase  provisions  at  the  journey's  end.  An- 
other new  passenger  who  has  a  dozen  claims  in  Circle  as  well 
as  in  Dawson,  said;  "  I  've  concluded  to  let  others  work  'em, 
while  I  take  a  job  on  a  steamer  at  five  dollars  a  day.  I  kin 
save  money  bj-  it,  for  when  I  'm  on  shore  I  kin  never  let 
whiskey  alone  ;  wh}-  I  spend  as  high  as  a  hundred  dollars  a 
day  for  it." 

Our  pigeons  have  attracted  great  attention,  and  we  have 
received  many  fine  offers  for  them,  but  prefer  ' '  squabs  on 
toast."  The  man  who  wants  the  ice-cream  freezer  has 
gradually  increased  his  bid,  which  now  stands  at  eighty  dol- 
lars, as  he  has  heard  he  can  get  ten  dollars  a  glass  for  ice- 
cream ! 


CHAPTER   XI 


NEARIXG    OUR    DESTINATION 

Saturday,  July  23rd. 

OUR  guide-book  tells  us  that  "  the  camp  called  Circle 
City  was  founded  in  the  autumn  of  1894.  Up  to  the 
time  of  the  discoveries  on  the  Klondike,  this  was  the  wonder 
city  of  the  north.  The  mines  on  Birch  Creek  and  its  tribut- 
aries proved  to  be  so  easily  worked  that  two  thousand  peo- 
ple from  all  over  the  world  flocked  to  the  new  camp.  Four 
miles  of  cabins  soon  extended  along  the  river,  in  the  centre 
of  which  line  of  habitations  was  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company's  commodious  post.  In  this  new  settlement  '  the 
games  never  closed.'  Here  were  theatres,  restaurants,  stores, 
saloons, — in  short,  a  cit}-.  The  miners  made  and  executed 
their  own  laws.  Theft,  murder,  and  outrages  upon  the  per- 
son were  practically  unknown.  Fortunes  in  gold  could  be 
left  for  a  year  in  an  unlocked  cabin,  and  none  would  come 
to  break  in  and  steal.  The  success  of  this  miners'  govern- 
ment at  Circle  City  is  one  of  the  most  notable  examples  fur- 
nished by  history  of  the  ability  of  the  people  to  govern 
themselves.  Though  the  rush  to  Dawson  in  1896-97  almost 
depopulated  Circle,  much  gold  is  known  to  remain  in  the 
Birch  Creek  diggings,  which  are  some  fifty-two  miles  away, 
but  reached  by  a  good  horse  trail.  The  camp  will  undoubt- 
edly make  a  large  output  of  gold  for  years  to  come. ' '  Bush- 
rod  Washington  James  says  of  it  iu  1897  :  "  Circle  City  is 
a  considerable  town  of  about  two  thousand  inhabitants  when 
the}-  are  at  home,  but  subject  to  variation  of  population. 
Many  fine  placer  mines  surround  this  really  important  city, 
but  the  rage  for  the  Klondike  gold-fields  has  for  the  time 

9' 


9-  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

almost  depopulated  the  comfortable  log  houses  of  which  the 
town  is  built." 

How  thankful  we  were  to  leave  behind  us  the  Victoria 
which  had  caused  loss  to  so  many  of  our  passengers !  For 
the  first  time  we  were  able  to  sleep  soundly  from  midnight 
until  6  A.M.,  when  awakened  as  usual  bj'  the  stewards.  The 
tables  are  never  lifted,  but  always  dragged  across  the  wooden 
floor  to  the  accompaniment  of  loud  conversation.  No  plate 
is  ever  laid  on  the  table,  but  dropped  as  though  to  see  from 
how  great  a  height  it  maj'  be  done  without  breaking,  and 
some  are  either  growing  to  be  very  expert  at  the  game,  or 
else  the  dishes  are  of  unusual  strength.     While  writing  this 

morning  it  suddenly  grew  very  dark,  and  E said,  "  A 

rain-storm,  probably,"  but  as  she  glanced  out  of  the  window 
exclaimed  that  the  darkness  was  caused  by  the  immense 
height  of  the  mountains,  that  seemed  almost  near  enough  to 
touch.     The  scenery  is  growing  more  wild  and  attractive. 

Someone  has  been,  and  still  is,  dancing  a  hornpipe  over 
head  with  such  force  that  the  boards  above  bend  with  each 
emphatic  kick,  which  causes  me  to  regret  having  signed  the 
petition  requesting  that  the  confiscated  ladder  might  be  re- 
placed ;  but,  thank  the  Lord,  Dawson  is  only  three  hundred 
miles  distant,  and  this  tedious  fight  against  the  seven-miles 
an-hour  current  of  the  Yukon  will  soon  be  ended.  If  we 
had  only  dared  cross  the  Pass  "  going  in,"  taking  this 
means  of  leaving  the  countr\-,  we  should  have  had  this 
tremendous  current  aiding  us  the  entire  waj-.  The  day  has 
been  passed  in  silent  admiration  of  the  grandeur  of  the 
mountainous  sceners- — chain  upon  chain  of  rocks  crowned 
with  trees,  which  seem  to  be  growing  from  the  solid  stone, 
and  down  the  sides  to  the  water's  edge,  with  never  a  sign  of 
earth  to  support  the  roots.  Smoke  on  all  sides  fills  the  air, 
as  camp-fires  are  built  and  not  extinguished,  and  the  flames 
slowly  climb  the  mountain-side,  destroying  the  much-needed 
wood,  and  spoiling  the  picture  otherwise  so  beautiful. 

Sunday,  Julj-  24th. 
So  chillv  to-dav  that  shirt-waists  have  been  discarded  for 


Nearing  our  Destination  93 

thicker  garments  and  wraps,  and  few  can  remain  out  of 
doors.  The  mess-hall  is  filled  with  card-players.  The 
missionaries  and  those  devoutly  inclined  shut  themselves  in 
their  cabins,  but  that  does  not  prevent  them  from  hearing 
all  that  takes  place  in  the  universal  sitting-room.  Before 
luncheon  a  great  shout  went  up,  followed  by  shrieks,  hur- 
rahs, cat-calls,  "  We  '11  meet  you  in  Dawson."  Looking 
through  the  cabin-window,  I  saw  the /o/;;;  ii'tf/v- replenishing 
with  wood,  and  the  cheers  of  our  passengers  meant  that  we 
were  slowly  but  surely  leaving  her  behind.  "  Don't  you  be 
so  cocky,"  they  called  ;  "  wait  until  you  need  wood  again, 
and  then  our  turn  will  come. ' ' 

4.30.  The  shrieks  are  recommencing,  which  announce  to 
those  below  that  the/o/m  Barr  is  again  passing  us.  Shouts 
of  triumph  from  her  passengers  and  of  despair  from  ours 
are  wafted  on  the  air.  Now  the  Leah  blows  her  whittle,  and 
we  are  off  again,  probably  for  an  exciting  race,  should  the 
channel  prove  sufficiently  wide. 

Monday,  July  25th. 

The  exciting  event  to-day  was  "  crossing  the  line."  We 
were  at  dinner  when  someone  called  out,  "  We  're  just  going 

into  a  foreign  land."     J left  the  table,  and  opened  his 

cabin  door,  so  that  we  who  were  seated  opposite  could  obtain 
a  fine  view  of  the  termination  of  the  possessions  of  the  United 
States  and  of  the  entrance  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada. 
Ogilvie,  in  his  most  interesting  and  useful  guide-book,  tells 
us  that  "  the  river  here  is  somewhat  contracted,  measuring 
only  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty  feet  across  in  the 
winter  :  but  in  summer,  at  ordinary  water  level,  it  would  be 
about  one  hundred  feet  wider.  Immediately  below  the 
boundar}',  it  expands  to  its  usual  width,  which  is  about  two 
thousand  feet." 

vSeveral  bouquets  which  had  been  gathered  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  the  different  landing-places  were  brought  to  me 
during  the  day.  We  were  greatly  surprised  to  find  flowers 
growing  in  such  abundance.  We  are  becoming  so  weary 
of  this  never-ending  voyage  that  we  have  been  asking  con- 
cerning the  difficulties  of  the  Pass,  so,  after  dinner,  Mr.  P — ■ — - 


94 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


came  with  maps  and  plans  in  order  to  explain  to  us  all  the 
dangers  in  store  for  those  willing  to  attempt  such  an  under- 
taking.    Notwithstanding,  both  E and  I  are  longing  to 

see  the  other  part  of  the  country,  and  are  carefully  weighing 
the  pros  and  cons,  hoping  to  find  that  we  can  try  the  trail 
without  imprudence  or  risk. 


SALTING   THE    PAN. 

Tuesday,  July  25th. 
We  are  now  approaching  "  Forty  Mile,"  of  which  Ogilvie 
says  :  "  Forty  Mile  River  is  the  only  river  in  the  district  on 
which,  up  to  the  fall  of  1888,  coarse  gold  had  been  found, 
and  it  may  be  said  that  much  of  it  can  hardly  claim  that  dis- 
tinctive title.  The  largest  nugget  found  was  worth  about 
thirt3^-nine  dollars.  It  was  lost  on  the  body  of  a  miner  who 
was  drowned  at  the  caiion.  Several  other  nuggets  of  much 
less  value  have  been  found,  but  the  number  of  pieces  which 
one  could  call  '  nugget '  are  few.     The  miners  term  Forty 


Nearine  our  Destination 


95 


Mile  a  '  bed-rock  '  creek — that  is,  one  in  the  bed  of  which 
there  is  httle  or  no  drift,  or  detrital  matter,  the  bottom  of  the 
river  being  bed-rock.  In  nianj-  places  this  rock  has  been 
scraped  with  knives  by  the  miners,  in  order  to  gather  the 
small  amount  of  detritus,  and  its  accompanying  gold.  Very 
little  of  the  gold  on  this  creek  was  found  in  Canadian  terri- 


A    LESSON    IN    PANNING    OUT   GOLD. 


tory,  the  coarsest  gold  being  found  well  up  the  river.  In 
the  town  of  Fort}-  Mile,  close  up  to  the  Yukon,  potatoes, 
radi.shes,  cabbages,  turnips,  and  lettuce  have  been  grown 
with  fair  success,  especiallj-  the  last-named.  Another  garden 
in  a  fairly  situated,  well-sheltered  spot  at  Cudahy  yielded 
fair  radishes,  turnips,  cabbage,  and  lettuce.  Ver}-  fair  pota- 
toes were  grown  on  an  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  Sixtj-  Mile 
in  the  Yukon,  by  Mr.  H .  He  had  also  a  garden  at  Sel- 
kirk, ill  which  he  planted  potatoes  for  several  years,  but  to 
protect  them  from  frost  went  to  the  expense  of  having  an 


96  Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

immense  awning  made  of  heavy  cotton  which  he  lowered  on 
them  every  clear  night  when  frost  threatened.  Without  this 
they  would  not  have  ripened.  Oats  have  been  sown  at 
Forty  Mile  for  several  years,  but  never  ripen,  though  they 
develop  enough  to  make  fair  fodder." 

Facing  us,  and  to  the  right  as  we  approach,  is  Forty  Mile. 
Nestling  on  the  edge  of  the  water,  at  the  foot  of  high  hills 
backed  by  the  mountains,  lie  Forts  Cudahy  and  Constantine. 
At  the  right  are  two  small  houses,  a  few  warehouses,  a  flag- 
pole with  a  red  flag  flying,  and  nine  one-story  houses.  Be- 
yond is  the  mission  where  Bishop  lived  and  worked 

for  many  years.  Quite  a  number  of  passengers  left  us  at 
Forty  Mile.  Others  started  for  a  tramp  and  we  waved  adieu 
to  them  as  the  Leah  steamed  across  the  river  for  wood. 

After  luncheon,   Mr.   L ,   of  Circle  Citj-,   asked   if  I 

would  like  to  pan  out  some  gold,  as  the  ground  in  the  vicinity 
looked  rich.  No  second  invitation  was  needed — my  pan  was 
in  my  hand  and  went  with  me  on  shore  in  less  time  than  it 

has  taken  to  write  this.     Mr.  L •  brought  a  shovel  and 

helped  dig,  then  showed  me  how  to  wash  the  gravel,  which 
I  did  with  great  impatience,  shouting  with  excitement  as 
the  colours  began  to  show,  until,  in  a  few  moments,  pas- 
sengers and  stewards  had  joined  us  with  their  pans.  The 
result  of  my  first  work  was  between  fifty  cents  and  one  dollar 

to  the  pan,  and  L told  me  to  stake  off  the  ground  at 

once,  and  record  the  claim.  Of  course  there  were  the  usual 
remarks  about  someone  having  salted  it,  but  that  did  not 
deter  others  from  digging  with  a  will  in  this  lucky  hole, 
offering  to  give  me  a  percentage  of  whatever  they  found  for 
permission  to  do  so.  The  whistle  blew,  calling  us  on  board, 
and  back  we  went  to  Forty  Mile  to  pick  up  our  stranded 
passengers.  They  brought  us  the  following  war-news  which 
they  had  gathered  on  shore;  that  Spain's  navy  had  been 
completely  wiped  out  ;  that  the  Oregon  had  chased  and  sunk 
Spain's  last  ship,  but  that  in  capturing  Santiago  we  had  lost 
eighteen  hundred  men  ;  that  "  Teddy's"  Rough  Riders  had 
received  worse  treatment  than  those  in  any  other  regiment; 
also  that  Admiral  Cervera   had   been  caught  and    held  as 


Nearing  our  Destination 


97 


hostage  for  Hobson,  who  had  not  been  shot  as  according  to 

former  report.     Mr.  L presented  us  with  a  couple  of 

oranges,  the  first  seen  since  leaving  St.  Michaels.      "  Oh, 

my  ! ' '  said  a  woman  to  E ,  ' '  do  jou  know  that  them 

there  oranges  is  worth  fifty  cents  apiece  ?  it  's  like  eatin'  so 
much  mone^-.     How  kin  you  do  it  ?  " 

The  old  fiddler  soon  joined  us  and  entertained  us  with  his 


■'S    FIRST    PAN. 


stories.  "  Wa'al,"  said  he,  finally,  "  I  reckon  we  won't 
have  any  worse  times  at  Dawson  than  we  've  seed  ter  hum. 
I  tol'  my  wife,  sez  I,  '  if  we  live  much  longer  we  may  spend 
all  our  money  an'  then  we  'd  have  ter  inconvenience  some 
people  in  takin'  care  o'  us,  an'  tho'  I  'm  nearly  eighty,  I  'm 
goin'  to  that  country  where  there  's  gold  to  be  had  for  the 
diggin',  or  where  I  kin  turn  my  hand  to  something  '  ;  an'  so 
she  sez,  sez  she,  '  I  'U  come  along,  too.'    Yer  know  she  came 


98 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


to  me  without  a  change  o'  clothing  when  she  runned  away 
from  home.  I  've  larned  her  everything  she  knows,  an' 
give  her  a  prettj^  good  home  in  the  bargain;  so  she  sez,  '  I  '11 
Stan'  by  you,'  and  just  packed  up  and  brought  our  two 
servant-girls  what 's  been  with  us  so  long  we  could  n't  leave 
'em  behind.  Dunno  what  we  '11  do  in  Dawson,  but  like  's 
not  we  '11  run  a  small  hotel." — "  American  style  ?  " — "  You 
bet  your  life.  None  o'  your  French  cookin'  for  me.  Wh}', 
durn  it,  when  they  begin  by  puttin'  a  plate  o'  soup  before 
me  an'  nothin'  else,  I  jest  begin  by  crumblin'  crackers  and 
bread  an'  everj'thiiig  I  kin  reach  into  it,  till  I  've  made  such 
a  heart}'  mess  that  I  ain't  got  no  appetite  for  nothin'  else. 
I  'm  glad  you  've  got  my  picter  with  the  fiddle,  coz  I  think 
more  o'  that  fiddle  than  a  baby.  I  got  a  flannel  night-dress 
for  it,  au'  two  or  three  silk  dresses." 


..f?*0. 


?.-*r 


CHAPTER  XII 

THE    PROMISED    I,AND 

Wednesday,  July  27th. 

WE  made  such  fast  time  during  the  night,  that  we  are 
now  nearing  Dawson  at  a  rapid  rate  and  find  the 
scenery  on  all  sides  far  grander  than  we  had  anticipated. 
Here  is  Dawson  at  last  !  No  pictures  we  have  seen,  no  de- 
scriptions we  have  read  or  heard,  compare  with  the  reality. 
Those  who  were  here  last  year  tell  us  that  it  has  grown  at 
lea.st  one  hundred  per  cent.  The  three  long  wharves  are  so 
packed  with  people  that  we  expect  to  see  them  precipitated 
into  the  water  by  the  addition  of  a  feather's  weight.  Miles 
and  miles  of  tents  of  all  sizes  and  descriptions  fill  the  town, 
and  are  pitched  everywhere  on  the  hillside.  Skeletons  of 
many  warehouses  which  are  being  constructed  and  a  few 
log  cabins  are  also  to  be  seen.  Stores  of  all  kinds  line  the 
main  street  and  river-front,  some  being  less  than  ten  feet 
wide,  as  rent  for  ground  is  ten  dollars  a  foot  per  month,  we 
are  told,  in  this  business  part  of  the  town.  From  the  land- 
ing up  to  the  Klondike  River,  boats  of  ev^ery  style  line  the 
water-front,  reminding  one  of  the  house-boats  about  Canton, 
although  those  belonging  to  this  settlement  are  of  a  much 
more  primitive  character,  but  a  better  description  might  be 
given  after  a  more  thorough  acquaintance  with  this  unique 
and  wonderful  place,  which  I  christened  at  sight  "  Circus 
Town."  As  we  neared  the  wharf  of  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  we  searched  in  vain  for  a  familiar  face  among  the 
thousand  before  us.  Such  perfect  discipline  seemed  marvel- 
lous.    We  tied  up  at  the  dock,  but  not  one  man  stepped  on 

99 


loo         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

board,  no  one  attempted  to  land,  and  yet  there  were  only 
two  Canadian  officials  on  duty.  There  was  much  hand- 
shaking across  the  boat's  side,  shouts  of  "  Hulloa,  Bill  !  " — 
"  Why,  there  's  Jim,"  etc.,  for  every  man  is  known  by  his 
Christian  name  in  this  part  of  the  world.  Upon  inquiring 
for  the  two  men  to  whom  we  had  letters,  and  who  had  pro- 
mised to  look  out  for  us,  we  were  informed  that  they  had 
"  gone  out"  on  the  steamer  which  had  passed  us  in  the 
night. 

At  that  news  we  felt  indeed  that  we  were  strangers  in  a 
strange  land,  when  who  should  evade  the  police  and  jump 
on  board,  after  having  rowed  around  the  Leah  in  a  canoe, 

but  Mr.  M !  a  case  of  the  bread  which  we  had  cast  upon 

the  waters  returning  to  us  in  a  moment  of  need.  We  had 
become  interested  in  him  when  we  were  in  California.  He 
was  land-poor  and  just  about  to  go  to  Dawson  over  the  Pass. 
He  looked  delicate,  and  after  all  the  tales  that  we  had  read 
of  the  hardships  of  that  terrible  trip,  we  felt  that  he  might 

never  live  to  reach  there,  so  E and  I  talked  it  over  and 

finally  decided  to  send  him  in  hy  steamer  and  allow  him  to 
"pay  up"  when  his  mines  should  prove  valuable.  How 
glad  we  were  to  receive  his  cordial,  hearty  greeting!  After 
lunching  with  us,  he  accompanied  us  on  shore  to  look  at 
accommodations. 

We  first  went  along  the  main  street  to  a  new  hotel  which 
was  to  be  opened  that  evening  with  a  big  dinner,  followed 
by  a  dance.  The  house,  built  of  wood,  and  three  stories 
high,  quite  towered  above  the  tents  and  cabins  of  its  neigh- 
bours. The  only  entrance  that  was  fini.shed  was  through 
the  new  and  elaborately  furnished  barroom,  within  whose 
walls  many  a  sad  history  will  probably  be  recorded  during 
the  coming  year,  as  we  are  told  that  "the  liquor  busi- 
ness here  is  bigger  pay  than  the  richest  mine,"  and  that 
"  even  the  smallest  barroom  realises  between  five  hundred 
and  a  thousand  dollars  a  night."  Separated  bj- a  hallway 
from  this  saloon  is  the  dining-room,  beautifully  clean,  table 
covered  with  damask,  and  even  napkins  (something  uimsual 
in  this  part  of  the  world)  at  each  place.     The  menu,  begin- 


I02         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ning  with  "  oj-ster  cocktails,"  caused  us  to  open  our  eyes 
wide  with  astonishment,  after  all  that  the  papers  have  told 
us  of  the  starvation  about  Dawson.  We  next  visited  the 
kitchen  adjoining,  where  there  was  a  stove  that  would  have 
gladdened  the  heart  of  any  cook  at  home.  The  chef  was 
said  to  be  from  Marchand's,  of  Sau  Francisco.  The  pro- 
prietress explained  to  us  that  she  had  sent  for  chairs,  which 
had  arrived  without  legs,  they  having  been  left  on  the  dock 
at  St.  Michaels,  one  of  the  inconveniences  that  one  has  to 
bear  through  the  negligence  of  transportation  companies, 
so  she  had  carpenters  at  fifteen  dollars  a  day  manufacturing 
new  legs. 

On  the  second  floor,  a  long,  narrow  hall  separated  rooms 
that  were  about  double  the  size  of  an  ordinary  cabin  on  ship- 
board. Each  room  contained  a  primitive  wooden  bedstead, 
but  there  was  no  space  for  wardrobe,  closet,  or  dressing- 
table.  Evidently  the  pride  of  the  hostess's  heart  was  cen- 
tred in  Brussels  carpets  and  lace  curtains,  to  which  she 
called  our  attention  as  having  been  introduced  into  Dawson 
for  the  first  time.  The  price  of  one  of  these  tiny  rooms  was 
six  dollars  and  a  half  a  daj-,  food  five  dollars  extra,  or  two 
dollars  a  meal.  On  the  third  floor  the  carpenters  were  busy 
preparing  for  the  evening  dance,  after  which  the  large  hall 
was  to  be  partitioned  off  into  small  rooms,  at  five  dollars  a  day 
each,  providing  that  the  sojourn  of  the  guest  should  be  at  least 
of  one  month's  duration,  otherwise  terms  to  be  increased 
accordinglj-.  We  were  cordially  invited  to  return  for  the 
dinner  at  lo  p.m.,  and  also  for  the  dance.  Noticing  that  there 
were  no  panes  of  glass  in  the  windows,  which  were  simply 
covered  with  cheese-cloth,  we  asked  what  happened  in  case 
of  rain,  and  were  told  that  it  very  rarely  rained,  but  that 
when  it  did  there  would  probably  not  be  sufficient  to  do  any 
damage.  Glass  also  had  been  ordered,  but,  as  usual,  it  was 
impossible  to  tell  when  or  by  what  steamer  it  would  arrive. 

From  the  hotel  we  continued  our  walk  as  far  as  the 
banks  of  the  famous  Klondike  River.  But  of  it  and  its  at- 
tractions later — in  case  we  have  the  courage  and  good  fortune 
to  tramp  in  that  direction  to  pan  out  gold  on  a  claim  of  our 


I04         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

own.  Then  to  the  other  end  of  town,  to  a  small  cabin  12  x  iS 
on  the  hillside,  it  being  the  one  upon  which  we  had  an  option 
for  two  thousand  dollars.  As  it  was  crowded  in  by  tents  on 
all  sides,  with  the  sun  beating  down  upon  it,  and  as  we  were 
exhausted  bj-  the  long  tramp  after  a  six-weeks'  vo3-age, 
we  were  finallj-  persuaded  to  row  across  the  Yukon  to  West 
Dawson,  which  was  described  to  us  as  being  on  high  ground, 
health)-  and  cool,  and  just  the  place  for  our  tent.  Our  guide 
invited  the  Doctor  to  accompany  us  in  his  canoe.  Going 
over  is  very  easj-,  as  the  current  carries  the  boat  at  the  rate 
of  at  least  five  miles  an  hour,  if  not  more,  but  the  return  trip 
requires  strong  oars  and  stout  arms. 

We  landed  at  the  foot  of  a  picturesque  bank,  which  was 
already  in  its  favour,  as  compared  with  the  marshy  swamp 
on  the  opposite  side.  Plenty  of  room  there  was  for  an  ordin- 
ary tent,  but  it  was  difficult  to  find  space  sufficient  for  our 
40x70.     Finally,  we  came  to  a  bit  of  ground  belonging  to 

Mr.  ,  who  told  us  that,  as  he  was  leaving  the  following 

day,  he  would  gladly  give  up  to  us  his  rights  of  possession, 
before  starting  on  a  prospecting  trip.  The  miners  from  all 
the  tents  in  that  vicinity  were  sitting  outside,  enjoying  their 
evening  meal,  from  which  they  rose  to  give  us  cordial  wel- 
come, and  to  tell  us  that  in  case  we  were  prevented  from  turn- 
ing up  on  time  they  would  allow  no  one  else  to  "jump  "  the 
site.  They  &lso  begged  us  not  to  hire  men  to  pitch  the  tent, 
as  they  should  like  the  pleasure  of  doing  it  for  us.  Although 
they  were  clad  in  rough  miners'  costumes,  their  gentle  and 
kindly  manners  showed  that  at  home  thej-  occupied  positions 
of  no  slight  prominence.  At  g  p.m.  the  sun  was  still  light- 
ing us  on  our  way,  and  we  decided  that  with  three  steamers 
in  port,  it  would  be  a  fine  occasion  for  "  doing  the  town  "  as 
it  is  called  here. 

We  were  first  escorted  to  the  dance-hall  of  the  place, 
and  slipped  through  a  private  entrance  into  a  box  that  was 
curtained,  so  that  we  were  free  from  observation  while  able 
to  see  all  that  took  place.  Nothing  could  have  been  more 
highly  proper  than  the  dancing,  which  consisted  of  waltzes, 
polkas,  and  military  schottisches,  interspersed  with  occasional 


io6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

square  dances,  which  seemed  more  like  Caledonians  than 
lancers  or  quadrilles.  The  "girls,"  as  thej'  were  called, 
seemed  to  be  between  twentj'-five  and  thirty  years  of  age. 
A  lot  of  Dawson  ' '  society  ' '  men  were  dancing  with  them, 
the  handsomest  being  "  Nigger  Jim,"  whom  we  watched 
admiringl}'  from  our  peep-hole  as  he  "  trod  the  mazy  "  with 
a  sombrero  hat  on  the  back  of  his  head,  a  cigar  in  his 
mouth,  and  the  most  debonair  air  imaginable.  According 
to  the  rule  of  the  house,  drinks  at  one  dollar  each  must  be 
ordered  after  every  dance.  In  case  the  "  girl ' '  does  not  care 
to  drink,  her  partner  gives  her  a  check  which  she  is  allowed 
to  "  cash  in  "  later,  receiving  twenty-five  cents  from  the  pro- 
prietor of  the  dance-hall.  She  is  also  paid  twenty-five  dollars 
a  week  for  dancing,  or  at  least  so  we  were  informed.  In  the 
rear  of  the  hall  was  a  stage  and  there  were  ensconced  five 
men  who  composed  the  orchestra,  and  very  good  music  they 

produced.      We  heard  one  or  two  songs  from  the  O 

Sisters,  and  then  adjourned  to  the  Monte  Carlo  Theatre, 
where  we  witnessed  a  thoroughly  respectable  variety  show, 
which  came  to  an  end  a  little  before  midnight,  after  which 
we  were  escorted  safely  back  to  our  barge  through  crowded 
streets,  where  law  and  order  are  wonderfully  well  maintained. 

Thursday,  July  aStb. 

The  first  visit  that  E and  I  paid  this  morning  was  to 

the  post-ofEce,  to  inquire  for  the  large  batch  of  mail  which 
we  supposed  had  been  sent  in  to  us  over  the  Pass.  To  our 
great  astonishment  there  was  but  one  letter.  We  sent  for 
the  postmaster,  who  listened  most  courteously  as  we  told  him 
of  the  books,  magazines,  and  papers  which  we  had  ordered 
to  be  forwarded  long  before  our  departure.  He  politely  ex- 
plained that  a  very  small  mail  had  been  sent  in  over  the 
Pass,  but  that  the  greater  quantity  would  come  by  the 
Alliance  according  to  contract  made  by  our  Government. 
First  disappointment. 

The  Alaska  Commercial  Company  is  very  generous  in 
allowing  passengers  to  remain  on  the  boats  until  they  have 
found  comfortable  accommodations.     On  returning  to  lunch- 


The  Promised  Land  107 

eon  we  were  greath-  interested  in  the  different  plans.  The 
old  fiddler  said  :  "  There  ain't  nothin'  here  for  me.  The 
whiskey  business  is  overdone— saloon  on  every  corner,  an'  a 
dozen  thrown  in  between  ;  restaurants  everywhere  ;  houses 
with  only  one  room,  the  cheapest  on  'em  a  hundred  dollars 
a  month  ;  me  an'  my  wife  's  goin'  back  on  this  same 
steamer."  One  of  the  most  energetic  passengers  was  a  Ger- 
man, who,  with  her  daughter  and  two  sons,  had  already 
visited  every  available  site  in  town,  had  purchased  a  con- 
trolling interest  in  the  swimming-bath,  and  was  planning  to 
partition  from  it  one  side,  which  she  intended  to  run  as  a 
laundry ;  the  other  for  her  daughter  to  serve  ice-cream,  cakes, 
and  "  soft  drinks."  The  Colonel's  wife  was  most  unhappy, 
as  the  German  had  engaged  the  two  "  servant-girls  which 
I  've  raised  and  brought  up  here,"  said  she,  "  and  now  they 
won't  go  back  with  me." 

Before  leaving  San  Francisco,  we  had  supplied  ourselves 
with  certificates  of  deposit  on  the  Bank  of  California,  worth 
fift)^  dollars  each,  which  we  were  told  were  not  onlj^  "  as 
good  as  gold,"  but  "  commai::!  a  premium  of  from  ten  to 
fifteen  per  cent,  in  Dawson."  Imagine,  then,  our  surprise  at 
being  obliged  to  pay  two  dollars  and  a  half  a  hundred  for  the 
privilege  of  exchange.     Another  surprise  was  when,  after 

luncheon   E and  I  started  on  a   shopping   expedition, 

she  was  greeted  by  a  man  who  had  travelled  through  Egypt 
in  her  party  in  '95.  After  dinner  we  were  asked  to  accom- 
pany a  few  friends  on  an  exploring  expedition,  but,  feeling 
exhausted,  preferred  sitting  in  our  easy  chairs  on  top  of  the 
barge,  from  which  point  we  commanded  the  entire  town. 
Our  first  visitor  was  Mrs. ,  a  former  passenger,  whose  hus- 
band is  a  Dawson  physician.  He  accompanied  her,  and  we 
were  greatly  amused  by  the  experiences  which  they  related. 
"  Our  cabin,  although  large  for  Dawson,"  said  she,  "  is  too 
small  to  contain  trunks,  furniture,  and  a  stove,  so  we  do  with- 
out the  latter  and  take  our  meals  at  restaurants,  but  oh,  how 
I  hate  to  see  four  dollars  passed  out  three  times  a  day  just  for 
our  food!  As  for  the  Doctor,  he  is  so  accustomed  to  receiv- 
ing seventeen  dollars  for  a  visit  that  he  does  n't  mind." 


io8         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Good  Father  R joined  our  party  and  told  me  that  one 

of  the  Sisters  at  the  hospital  here  had  been  in  the  hospital  at 
St.  Josephs,  Victoria,  during  my  stay  there,  and  that  she 
was  anxious  to  see  me.     How  delightful  it  will  be  to  meet 

her  again  in  this  far-away  corner  of  the  world!     Mr.  L 

then  presented  the  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Herald 
and  a  Mr.  J ,  who  we  were  informed  was  the  rightful 


CANADIAN    BANK    OF    COMMERCE,    DAWSON. 


owner  of  the  land  which  we  have  been  inspecting  in  West 
Dawson.  He  told  me  that  he  and  his  partner  had  staked 
out  one  hundred  and  sixty  (or  perhaps  many  more — have 
forgotten  the  number)  acres.  They  had  paid  the  commis- 
sioner a  deposit  of  fifty  dollars  on  the  land,  which  he  had 
accepted.  They  had  spent  many  thousands  in  clearing  it 
and  in  starting  a  fine  garden.  Just  as  radishes,  and  many 
other  delicacies  (for  that  part  of  the  world )  were  spring- 
ing into  life,  the  squatters  came,  and,  as  the  Government 


The  Promised  Land  109 

had  failed  to  protect  his  rights,  this  garden  had  been  aban- 
doned, and  he  would  be  delighted  to  have  us  as  neigh- 
bours. Some  miners  were  here  introduced,  among  them  one 
of  the  ' '  Klondike  Kings."  I  begged  for  a  story,  whereupon 
he  said  that  one  of  the  most  amusing  things  that  had  hap- 
pened to  him  was  the  receipt  of  the  following  letter,  which 
he  kindlj'  allowed  me  to  copy  : 

' '  Dear  :  Doubtless  you  will  be  surprised  to  receive  a 

letter  from  your  native  land  in  far-oflf  America,  but  seeing 
your  picture  in  the  paper  with  details  of  your  sojourn  in  the 
Gold  Regions,  and  pleased  with  your  courage  and  Perse- 
verance thought  I  would  like  to  make  the  acquaintance  of 
one  that  has  spent  8  lotiff  years  in  the  Yukon  after  so  many 
reverses  becomeing  the  Mineing  King  How  true  if  you 
don't  succeed  at  first  tr}-  trj'  again  and  you  surely  have  been 
rewarded  for  j-our  trials  and  hardships  endured  which  I 
suppose  was  many  and  hard  at  the  time.  Yet  wherever  we 
are,  there  are  more  or  less  hardships  to  bear.  Though  my 
younger  days  were  spent  with  miui!  Happiness  haveing 
everything  that  Heart  could  wish.  Then  I  married  one  of 
the  best  men  of  the  world  and  my  life  was  a  pleasant  Dream 
of  love,  until  he  died  leaving  me  alone  in  this  cold,  cold 
world.  Not  haveing  children,  I  have  spent  most  of  my  time 
with  relatives  here  and  in  the  West.  I  am  very  fond  of 
travelling,  and  have  been  fortunate  in  that  respect.  The 
paper  speaks  of  j-our  Wandersome  disposition.  True,  that 
is  very  well  when  we  are  young.  My  experience  is  that 
there  is  no  place  like  a  Pleasant  Home,  with  a  lovehig-  and 
devoted  husband  and  it  seems  to  me  that  a  bachelor  o^ your 
age,  would  conclude  that  life  was  not  worth  liveing,  without 
a  dear  little  Wife  to  look  after  your  Happiness  in  sickness 
and  Health  with  plenty  of  this  viorWs  goods,  to  make  every- 
thing comfortable  /  have  always  been  use  to  plent}'  and 
have  an  income  that  keeps  me  very  comfortable,  but  the 
Loneliness  of  this  life.  I  have  been  of  a  bright  and  Lively 
disposition  and  enjoyed  Life  untill  the  passed  3  3-ears  but 
now  every  thing  seems  faded  and  life  not  worth  liveing.  I 
cannot   enjoy   anny thing  without  some  one   to   share   that 


no        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Happiness  I  am  rather  tall,  brown  hair,  and  blue  eyes, 
fond  of  music  and  the /?«c  Arts  ;  have  studdied  both.  Now 
that  you  have  almost  finished  reading  my  letter,  I  hope  you 
will  reflect  and  think  kindly  of  me,  and  answer  this  poorly 
composed  and  written  letter  through  Friendship  and  that 
some  day,  some  where  we  may  meet  and  not  be  sorry  that 
this  letter  was  written.     I  can  give  the  best  of  Referrence 


VIEW  ON  THE  SHORE  OF  THE  YUKON. 


and  of  course  expect  the  same.  Thinking  you  would  be 
pleased  to  see  your  picture  in  the  paper,  I  enclose  the  same 
then  you  can  tell  me  in  return  if  it  is  really  you.  I  icish  you 
would  send  me  a  Photo — then  I  will  return  the  compliment. 
Since  July,  I  have  constantly  been  with  my  Invalid  Mother 
who  has  been  verry  ill  most  of  the  time  and  not  expected  to 
Live  long,  as  she  is  75  years  old  and  one  of  the  Sweetest  in 
this  world  and  I  feel  that  when  her  Spirrit  leaves  that  poor 


o 

I 


112         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

old  Body  that  it  will  get  to  that  Land  of  Rest  where  all  is 
Piece  and  Happiness.  If  you  are  pleased  with  this  letter 
and  wish  to  ans-wer  I  will  promise  a  Better  one  in  return 
Respectfully  your  Irue  and  unknown  Friend 

"  Mrs.  ." 

Friday,  July  29th. 

As  the  Leah  and  the  barge  were  about  to  pull  out  of  the 
harbour  this  morning,  carrying  many  of  our  former  pas- 
sengers, J — ■ — •  (who  had  concluded  to  try  Dawson  rather 

than  Rampart)  said,  "  Mrs.  H ,  if  you  're  going  to  live 

across  the  river  you  '11  want  a  boat  and  there  's  a  man 
'  going  out '  on  the  Leah  who  will  sell  one  for  ten  dollars." 
"  But  I  know  nothing  of  boats  ;  let  me  wait   and  consult 

M ."     "  You  can't,"  said  J ,  "  he 's  off  Wfjw."     The 

owner  then  sung  out,  "  You  may  have  it  for  five,"  and  with 
a  woman's  love  for  a  bargain,  after  a  hasty  glance  at  the 
boat,  I  handed  out  the  monc}'  and  was  very  proud  to  be  told 
afterwards  that  in  this  part  of  the  country  the  lumber  alone 
is  worth  between  twentj-  and  thirty-five  dollars,  and  still 
more  proud  that  the  Joseph  was  able  to  hold  all  our  house- 
hold goods  and  provisions,  weighing  over  a  thousand 
pounds. 

We  spent  the  morning  at  the  Custom  House,  paying  about 
one  hundred  dollars  in  duties.  Our  tent  had  already  been 
taken  across  and  was  being  prepared  for  our  reception,  but 
as  it  weighed  over  four  hundred  pounds,  we  engaged  men 
to  put  it  up  carefully,  unwilling  to  impose  upon  the  good 
nature  of  our  neighbours.  Finally  everything  was  cleared, 
and  a  kindlj',  helpful  crowd  escorted  us  and  our  boxes  to  the 
Joseph. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


WE    BECOME   SQUATTERS 

AND  now  we  are  squatters  on  the  land  staked  out  by  Mr. 
J and  his  partner.     Our  tent  attracts  the  greatest 

amount  of  attention  from  each  side  of  the  river.  Tents,  as  a 
general  thing,  run  from  eight  to  perhaps  twenty  feet — but 
one  this  size  !  !  !  The  Klondike  Nugget  wrote  of  it  :  "  West 
Dawson  is  taking  metropolitan  strides.  From  this  side  of 
the  river  can  be  seen  a  large  number  of  cabins  going  up,  and 
within  a  few  days  has  been  erected  the  largest  tent  in  the 
district.  The  West  Dawsonites  are  to  have  the  first  church 
services  in  the  town  there  next  Sunday,  which  will  be  con- 
ducted by  the  Rev.  Dr.  D ."     The  same  sheet  added  in 

its  personal  columns  :    "  Miss  V and  Mrs.  Admiral  (!) 

H are  the  latest  additions   to  Dawson   societ}-.      The 

ladies  are  .wealthy  and  are  very  well  known  in  the  United 
States.  They  travel  for  pleasure,  and  are  simpl}-  '  doing  ' 
the  Klondike  country  as  thej'  have  done  many  other  famous 
points  of  interest  in  Europe  and  America.  They  came  in  by 
way  of  St.  Michaels,  and  expect  to  go  out  again  before  the 
freeze-up,  and  possibly  by  way  of  the  Chilkoot  Pass." 

To  return  to  the  subject  of  the  tent.  It  took  four  men  to 
transport  it  from  Dawson.  Our  neighbours  worked  under 
the  direction  of  an  experienced  man  at  fifteen  dollars  a  day, 
with  his  assistants  at  one  dollar  an  hour.  We  had  given  an 
order  for  planking  the  entire  ground,  but  when  we  saw  as 
we  entered,  the  wild  flowers  and  plants,  or  rather  weeds,  two 
feet  high,  the  place  looked  so  picturesque  that  we  concluded 
to  allow  it  to  remain  in  its  natural  state.     The  pigeons,  per- 

3 

113 


114        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

mitted  to  fly  about,  looked  so  pretty  in  the  high  grass  and 
perched  upon  the  screen  ;  the  canary  and  the  parrot  made 
the  interior  attractive  and  honiehke — the  general  effect  that 

of  a  conservator}'.     Mr.   L sent  us  a  large  bearskin, 

while  our  neighbours  contributed  half  a  dozen  smaller  ones. 

Mr.  J sent  radishes  from  his  garden,  and  after  they  had 

all  worked  hard  and  were  ready  to  enjoy  a  well-earned  rest, 
we  started  the  graphophone  which  many  of  ' '  the  boys ' ' 
(they  are  all  ' '  boys  ' '  here)  had  never  before  heard.  How 
delighted  the}'  were  and  how  quickly  the  evening  passed  ! 
As  they  left  at  ii  p.m.,  we  hooked  the  flap  of  our  tent  and 
made  preparations  for  retiring.  It  seemed  impossible  that  I, 
who  had  insisted,  when  at  home,  upon  having  doors  locked, 
bolted,  and  barred,  and  who  had  never  gone  to  bed  without 
looking  under  it,  as  well  as  in  the  wardrobe  and  every  con- 
ceivable nook  and  cranny,  and  who  had  also  started  for  the 
Klondike  with  revolver,  cartridges,  and  belt,  should  now  be 
entirely  free  from  fear,  realising  that  the  tents  of  honest 
miners  were  all  about  us,  and  that,  were  a  burglar  to  present 
himself,  one  call  from  us  would  bring  the  man  to  justice  so 
quickly  that  he  scarce  would  have  time  to  repeat  a  prayer. 

We  had  been  advised  to  purchase  air  mattresses,  as  being 
lighter  and  more  convenient  than  any  other.  Ours  came 
from  one  of  the  best-known  firms  in  San  Francisco.  We 
had  them  made  to  order,  ordering  at  the  same  time  canvas 
hammocks  with  a  boxing  all  around  so  that  they  should  be 
firmly  held.  Imagine,  then,  our  indignation  to  find  that 
this  boxing  was  too  flim.sy  to  stand,  while  the  air-pumps  or 
bellows  had  been  forgotten,  although  we  had  repeatedly 
charged  the  clerk  not  on  any  account  to  fail  to  pack  at  least 
two  with  the  mattresses.  Let  me  sa}-  just  here  that  it  is 
almost  necessar}'  to  watch  one's  goods  put  into  the  box  and 
the  cover  nailed  down,  no  matter  where  one  may  outfit  nor 
how  responsible  the  firm,  for  it  rarely  happens  that  articles 
arrive  with  everything  needed.  Then  begins  a  search  in  the 
stores  and  junk-.shops  for  the  one  essential  thing,  and  should 
one  be  so  unusually  fortunate  as  to  find  it,  the  cost  would 
surelj'  amount  to  five  or  ten  times  more  than  one  would  pay 


We  Become  Squatters  115 

for  it  at  home.     E and   I  spent  an  hour  in  trj'ing  to 

"  blow  np  "  our  mattresses,  but  laughter  at  the  funn}-  situa- 
tion retarded  work.  Finally  we  rolled  up  in  two  ten-pound 
blankets  each  and  tumbled  into  the  hannnocks  on  one  side 
only  to  roll  out  on  the  other  side,  as  our  novel  bed  swung, 
landing  us  on  the  soft  ground.  After  a  little  practice,  how- 
ever, we  managed  it  and  slept  a  few  hours  until  awakened 
by  the  icy  wind.  We  then  bundled  up  in  heavy  wraps,  and, 
as  our  air  pillows  were  too  cool,  we  substituted  those  of  down 
from  our  deck  chairs,  which  were  decidedlv  more  comfort- 
able. After  another  .short  sleep  we  again  wakened,  shiver- 
ing with  cold.     E called  to  know  if  it  were  not  time  to 

start  the  fire,  as  it  was  so  light  it  must  be  late,  so  we  pre- 
pared for  breakfast  and  then  looked  at  our  watches — 2.30 
A..M.  !  !  ! 

July  30th. 

The  "  boys  "  promised  to  find  us  a  cook,  but  as  he  failed 

to  materialise,  E made  .some  delicious  soda-biscuit  and 

we  managed  with  great  difficulty  to  open  a  tin  of  butter  and 
of  sardines.  We  had  some  nails,  so  drove  one  with  a  log  of 
wood  into  one  of  the  posts  supporting  the  tent,  and  what  do 
you  suppose  was  the  first  thing  we  hung  up  ?  Why,  a 
mirror,  of  course.  Some  of  the  "  boys  "  had  opened  boxes  for 
us  the  previous  evening,  and  we  had  as  much  fun  and  excite- 
ment in  looking  through  them  as  though  they  had  been 
Christmas  boxes  from  home.  As  we  had  neither  shelf,  nor 
peg,  nor  table,  we  could  only  look  into  them  in  order  to 
know  where  to  find  things  when  needed.  By  ten,  the  sun 
came  out  and  shone  with  such  power  that  it  was  too  hot  to 
continue  the  inspection,  so  we  placed  our  chairs  where  we 
could  get  the  breeze  in  the  door  of  the  tent,  from  which  we 
had  an  unobstructed  view  of  the  river,  the  mountains,  and 
Dawson  nestling  at  the  foot  of  this  magnificent  background. 
We  began  to  read  the  three  latest  papers  from  San  Francisco 
and  Seattle,  but  were  soon  interrupted  by  visits  from  our 
neighbours,  the  miners  whose  tents  surrounded  ours.  One 
of  the  men  was  particularh'  interesting.  He  was  just  about 
to  start  out  on  the  trail,  and  had  with  him  his  dog  carrying 


ii6        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

a  pack.     He  had  been  mining  in  California,  he  said,  with 

Senator  J and  Senator  T ,  and  was  now  on  his  way, 

with  provisions,  to  join  his  son,  who  was  working  claims  on 
some  bars  where  he  had  found  rich  gold.  He  promised  to 
prospect  for  us,  and  in  case  he  found  anj'thing  of  value,  to 
post  our  names  there  until  we  could  tramp  out  and  stake  for 
ourselves.  People  came  during  the  morning  from  all  part.s, 
to  have  a  look  at  our  wonderful  tent,  the  fame  of  which 
seems  to  have  gone  far  be)'ond  Dawson.  As  they  showed  a 
disposition  to  see  the  interior,  we  gave  them  permission  to 
enter,  which  the}'  did  in  the  most  respectful  manner,  hats  in 
hand.  Their  pleasure  at  sight  of  the  pigeons  and  our  other 
pets  was  most  touching,  and  their  delight  in  hearing  music 
from  our  Criterion  was  unbounded. 

We  may  be  .surrounded  by  rough  miners,  but  never  have 
we  met  men  more  courteous  or  more  ready  to  lend  a  helping 
hand,  not  only  to  women  but  to  men.  Before  starting  from 
California  we  had  read  that  here  each  man  was  for  himself 
and  had  no  time  to  assist  his  neighbour,  nor  was  he  willing 
to  offer  him  the  smallest  portion  of  "  grub."  All  untruths  ! 
for  no  such  generosity  exists  in  any  other  part  of  the  world. 
Lunch-time  and  no  cook  !  We  are  beginning  to  feel  the 
pangs  of  hunger,  but  do  not  dare  attempt  filling  the  coal-oil 
stove.  We  look  outside  and  see  our  next-door  neighbour 
cooking  a  delicious-.smelling  me.ss  on  his  stove  out  in  the 
open  air.  He  glances  towards  us  and  asks  if  we  would  like 
some  stewed  oysters.  We  are  divided  between  a  longing  for 
them,  and  the  fear  of  robbing  him  and  his  partner,  but  his 
offer  is  so  cordial  that  we  accept,  upon  condition  that  he  will 
take  our  box  of  sardines,  which  he  does  reluctantly.  How  we 
reliish  the  oysters,  and  with  what  an  appetite  we  devour 
them!     Truly  it  is  worth  the  trip  to  enjoy  food  as  we  now 

do.     E borrows  a  place  on  her  neighbour's  stove  and 

makes  herself  a  cup  of  cocoa.  Another  neighbour  goes  to 
town  and  brings  us  two  loaves  of  bread  at  twenty-five  cents 
each,  accepting  the  money  most  reluctantly,  as  they  all  want 
to  be  not  only  hospitable  but  generous.  Another  neighbour 
presents  us  with  lemons  ;  still  another  with  oranges,  which 


ii8         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

are  given  in  such  a  way  that  we  cannot  offer  to  pay  for  them 
without  fear  of  offending  these  kind  souls.  One  of  the 
"  boys  "  tells  us  that  in  a  tent  near  by  lives  an  English  phy- 
sician who  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting  E in  Yokohama, 

when  her  father  was  consul-general  to  Japan  ;  that  he 
wishes  to  call  on  her,  but  has  no  "  boiled  shirt "  ready,  nor 
' '  store  clothes. ' '  To  this  we  exclaim,  "  But  our  visitors  must 
not  stand  upon  ceremony.  We  find  that  we  must  keep  to 
jerse3-s  and  short  skirts  while  here,  and  the  men  must  make 
no  changes  in  their  costume  on  our  account.  We  are  all 
roughing  it  and  camping  out,  some  for  one  purpose  and 
some  for  another,  and  we  desire  to  be  treated  as  are  others 
in  West  Dawson."  In  a  very  short  time  the  Doctor  made  his 
appearance,  handsome  in  his  jersej-,  and  and  needing  no 
"  store  clothes  "  to  show  him  to  better  advantage.  How  we 
did  enjoy  talking  over  the  Orient  and  those  we  had  known 
in  China  and  Japan!  Thus  occupied,  the  afternoon  sped  by 
rapidl}'. 

Towards  5  p.im.  the  tent  grows  delightfully  cool.     M 

appeared  with  delicious  salmon  steaks  for  dinner  and  we 
could  hardly  wait  for  him  to  fill  the  coal-oil  slove,  so  famished 
were  we.  It  did  not  take  long  to  light  the  fire  and  to  heat 
some  of  Van  Camp's  delicious  tomato  soup.  This  is  one  of 
the  articles  of  food  we  brought  in  which  more  than  equals 

our  expectations.     E also  cooked  the  salmon  and  heated 

a  tin  of  corn,  all  of  which  we  enjoyed  more  than  any  feast. 

E was  then  allowed  a  well-deserved  rest,  while  M 

and  I  washed  and  wiped  our  aluminum  dishes  and  hung  them 

up  on  the  high  weeds.     Poor  M had  been  scouring  the 

town  all  day  for  a  cook  but  the  search  was  in  vain.  "  The 
boys"  came  and  sat  in  the  tent  door  after  dinner,  while  we 
had  some  of  our  best  Criterion  music,  and  it  was  delightful 
to  see  how  they  enjoyed  Lohcngiin  and  Taiiuhaitscr,  as  well 
as  Italian  opera  and  Sou.sa's  compositions.  All  parties 
break  up  here  at  eleven.  So  at  that  hour  our  tent  flap  was 
closed,  and  we  followed  the  directions  given  to  us  by  our 
neighbours  and  had  a  fine  night's  rest.  We  put  rugs  iiudry 
the  hammocks  this  time,    so  that  the  dampness  from  the 


We  Become  Squatters 


119 


ground  sliould  not  rise  ;  then  we  made  a  bag  of  one  pair  of 
blankets,  stepped  into  it,  and  rolled  into  the  other  instead 
of  getting  into  a  carefully  made  bed,  and,  although  the  night 
was  quite  as  cool  as  the  previous  one,  we  slept  as  warmlj' 
and  comfortably  as  if  at  home.     One  amusing  thing  occurred. 

The  fur  robe  was  under  E 's  hammock,  while  under  mine 

was  placed  the  pair  of  blankets  purchased  for  Ivan,  but  which 
we  were  told  he  ought  not  to  be  allowed  to  use  so  early  in 
the  season.     Hardly  had  wc  fallen  asleep  before  the  dog 


A   SLEEPING    BAG. 

recognised  his  blankets  and  tried  to  crawl  under  my  ham- 
mock in  order  to  take  possession  of  them.  As  he  pushed 
under  on  one  side,  the  hammock  tipped  over  on  the  other 
and  sent  me  rolling  out  on  the  grass,  which  caused  me  quite 

as  much  merriment  as  it  did  E ,  whose  laughter  was  soon 

hushed,  lest  our  neighbours  should  be  disturbed. 


Sunday,  July  31st. 
Another  glorious  day  !     Temperature  delightful.     While 
E lighted  the  fire  and  heated  .some  of  our  tinned  stores. 


I20        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

I  fed  and  watered  the  pigeons,  parrot,  canarj-,  and  dog.  By 
the  time  we  had  finished  breakfast  and  our  few  chores,  it  was 
too  late  for  church.  Some  of  our  neighbours  came  to  invite 
us  to  row  across  in  Peterboro  canoes,  which  are  considered 
the  safest  boats  to  use  against  the  tremendous  current,  but 
we  have  a  deadly  fear  of  anything  bearing  the  name  of  canoe, 
so  had  private  services  at  home.  Lunch  hour,  and  still  no 
cook,  although  the  "  boys  "  are  scouring  the  town  in  search 
of  one.  We  cooked  a  bit  of  salmon  which  was  brought  us 
from  Dawson,  heated  some  tinned  vegetables,  and,  with  our 
appetites,  it  was  a  feast. 

As  we  were  sitting  resting  and  reading  at  our  tent  door, 

who  should  appear  but  our  shipmates,  Mr.  R and  Dr. 

D ,  bringing  with  them  a  ver}-  handsome  fellow  named 

A ,  who  has  been  in  this  part  of  the  world  so  long  that 

he  thinks  it  would  be  difficult  to  live  at  home  again.  Hardly 
had  they  seated  themselves,  or  rather  thrown  themselves  on 

the  rugs  (for  we  have  but  three  chairs),  when  Mr.  M and 

Mr.  R joined  the  party.     They  had  all  rowed  across  and 

were  hot  and  thirsty.  We  remembered  a  powder  which  had 
been  prepared  for  us  by  our  San  Francisco  chemist,  so  we 
mixed  it  with  the  cool  spring-water,  making  a  delicious 
cider.  As  our  guests  had  come  to  spend  the  afternoon  in 
the  countrj',  we  treated  them  without  ceremony,  and  opened  a 
box  containing  the  latest  periodicals  of  all  kinds,  which  they 
had  not  yet  been  able  to  obtain,  so  that  they  could  enjo}'  the 
illustrations  as  well  as  conversation.  M spied  my  man- 
dolin, and  told  me  how  charmingly  R pla}-ed,  and  he 

was  right.  He  drew  from  it  more  exquisite  music  than  I 
had  ever  heard,  even  in  Italj'.  Such  a  restful,  peaceful  sab- 
bath !  We  also  heard  the  songs  of  the  Salvation  Army,  as 
the  airs  floated  across  the  Yukon  to  us. 

We  were  sorry  to  tell  our  guests  au  revoir,  but  could  not 
feel  lonely,  as  one  neighbour  after  another  stopped  to  see  if 

we  needed  anything.     Mr.  O ,  who  is  three  tents  away 

from  us,  came  to  ask  if  he  could  row  one  of  us  over  in  the 
morning.  E gladly  accepted,  as  she  is  to  do  the  shop- 
ping.    O said  there  were  two  great  causes  of  excitement 


We  Become  Squatters  121 

in  Dawson,  from  which  town  he  had  just  returned.  One  was 
the  preparations  for  the  departure  of  the  Bella  ;  the  other,  the 
arrival  of  two  of  our  pigeons,  which  were  quietly  seated  on  the 
roof  of  a  low  building,  with  an  admiring  crowd  about  them, 
as  many  had  not  seen  pigeons  for  years,  and  were  revelling 
in  the  sound  of  their  cooing".     "  I  hope  they  won't  shoot 

them  for  sea-gulls,"  said  E .     "  Never  j'ou  fear,"  replied 

O ;  "  every  man,  woman,  and  child  knows  that  thej'  be- 
long to  you  two  ladies,  and  they  would  be  only  too  ready  to 
bring  them  back  to  you,  did  thej'  not  think  they  would  come 
of  their  own  accord."  Just  then  M appeared  with  a  fel- 
low whom  he  introduced  as  his  friend  Mr.  Isaacs,  saying  : 
"  He  is  in  hard  luck  just  now.  He  took  out  last  year  eight 
thousand  dollars  from  one  of  his  claims  ;  went  home  to  find 
his  father  had  died,  gave  his  mother  seven  thousand  to  pay 
off  a  mortgage  on  the  old  home,  then  put  the  remainder  in 
an  outfit  and  returned  to  Daw.son.  After  a  short  rest,  he 
started  out  on  the  trail,  and  after  locating  one  or  two  claims, 
returned  to  find  that  his  tent  and  entire  outfit  were  burned 
to  the  ground.  But  his  pluck  never  deserted  him;  he  de- 
termined to  take  the  first  job  v?hich  presented  itself,  so  he  is 
willing  to  be  your  cook,  boatman,  and  Jack-of-all-trades  for 
five  dollars  a  day  and  his  '  grub.'  "  The  news  of  our  acqui- 
sition was  soon  spread  abroad,  and  we  are  now  spoken  of  as 
millionairesses  and  are  told  that  we  shall  probably  have 
claims  offered  us  by  the  thousand. 


CHAPTER   XIV 

THE    "sick    boy  " 

Monday,  August  ist. 

MR.  O had  promised  to  row  E to  Dawson  at 
nine  o'clock.  At  ten  he  had  not  jet  turned  up,  so 
we  sent  Isaacs  to  inquire  whether  he  had  changed  his  plans. 
He  quickl)'  came  to  tell  us  that  he  had  been  sitting  up  with 
a  sick  boy  all  night,  and  had  just  finished  breakfast,  but 
would  be  read\-  in  a  few  moments.  I  immediatelj^  went  to 
the  "  sick  bo}-  "  to  see  what  he  needed.  He  was  sleeping 
in  a  small  tent,  on  a  bed  made  of  pine  boughs,  covered  with 
a  fur  robe  ;  his  head  was  in  an  uncomfortable  position,  with 
no  pillow  ;  he  was  feverish,  and  able  to  retain  nothing  on  his 
stomach.  To  get  him  a  nice  cool  air-pillow,  to  bathe  his 
head  and  give  him  the  juice  of  an  orange,  was  the  work  of  a 
few  moments,  and  then  I  left,  fearing  to  wearj-  him,  but 
giving  him  a  whistle  with  which  to  call  me  in  case  of  need. 
The  poor  fellow  .said  he  had  never  been  ill  before,  and  would 
rather  be  dead  than  on  his  back,  but  he  had  had  a  long,  tough 
tramp  over  the  mountains,  "  which  knocked  me  out,"  said 
he.  On  the  way  back  to  "the  big  tent,"  as  it  has  been 
christened,  while  exchanging  salutations  with  the  miners,  I 
said,  "  It  is  sad  to  have  an  invalid  neighbour  "  "  Yes,  but 
it  's  nice  to  have  one  who  brings  sympath}'  and  oranges," 
they  replied.  During  the  morning,  Isaacs  busied  himself 
making  a  music-rack  with  four  shelves,  which  is  most  use- 
ful, as,  besides  the  purpose  it  is  intended  for,  it  holds  maga- 
zines, illustrated  weeklies,  novels,  and  all  the  literature  with 
which  we  filled  one  box,  and  to  which  our  neighbours  are 
offered  free  access. 


124        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

E returned   from  town,  having  purchased  the  com- 


monest kind  of  a  wooden  table  for  eight  dollars,  but  glad 
to  get  it  at  anj'  price,  although  it  was  badly  warped.  Upon 
expressing  a  wish  that  we  had  half  a  dozen  of  them,  Mr. 

J ,  who  was  calling  upon  us,  said,   "  I  have  one  that 

I  '11  gladly  lend  you,  and  it  won't  be  depriving  me  a  bit,  as 

it  's  too  large  to  go  in  my  cabin."     E had  also  purchased 

moose-steak  at  a  dollar  a  pound,  but,  although  she  had 
searched  all  the  shops  of  Dawson,  she  was  unable  to  find  at 
any  price  a  tub,  large  or  small,  for  bathing  purposes.     She 

brought  an  invitation  for  Wednesday'  evening.     Mr.  M 

had  asked  us  to  dine,  in  case  we  would  not  mind  eating  as 
the  miners  do  from  a  table  with  no  table-cloth,  and  from 
sauce-pans  instead  of  dishes. 

While  at  luncheon,  five  passers-b}'  put  their  heads  into 
the  tent  ;  they  were  evidently  from  a  distance,  and  were 
abashed  as  thej'  caught  sight  of  us,  but  we  had  been  in- 
spired by  the  hospitality  of  our  neighbours,  and  called  out, 
"  Come  right  in  if  you  want  to  see  the  tent."  They  entered 
almost  on  tiptoe,  and  twirling  their  hats  between  fingers 
and  thumbs,  but  at  sight  of  the  birds  their  feelings  over- 
came them.  One  sat  down  near  the  canary  and  almost  wept 
as  he  listened  to  its  beautiful  notes.  Another  said;  "  I  used 
to  have  a  parrot  at  home,  an'  it  knew  my  footsteps  so  well 
that  whenever  I  came  into  the  house  it  always  hollered, 
'  Papa!  Papa  !  '  Many  a  one  tried  to  deceive  it  b}-  walkin' 
like  me,  but  it  warn't  no  use,  it  never  hollered  for  anybody 
else.  Tell  you  what,  parrots  'ez  got  a  heap  er  sense.  An- 
other thing  yer  could  n't  fool  my  parrot  on  was  this  :  j'er  'd 
take  some  money  out  o'  3'er  pocket  and  shake  it,  en'  she  'd 
holler,  '  Gimme  a  nickel,  gimme  a  nickel '  ;  but  yer  might 
shake  other  things  that  sounded  like  money  all  night,  an', 
though  she  could  only  hear  it  an'  could  n't  see  it,  she  'd 
look  as  wise  as  an  owl,  an'  never  sa}-  a  word."  The  ap- 
preciation and  the  deep  feeling  shown  by  these  guests  to 
whom  chance  had  revealed  some  relics  of  home  life  were 
most  touching. 

Towards  evening  I  went  again  to  the  tent  of  the  "  sick 


The  "Sick  Boy"  125 

boy  "  who  seemed  very  much  better  and  thanked  me  most 
heartily  for  the  air-pillow  which  had  been  such  a  comfort  to 
him.  There  was  a  heavy  towel  on  his  forehead,  which  I  re- 
placed with  a  soft  handkerchief,  dipping  it  occasionally  in 
the  icy  spring-water  until  he  assured  me  that  his  head  was 
greatly  relieved.  As  there  was  only  a  box  on  which  to  sit, 
Isaacs  brought  over  one  of  our  steamer  chairs,  and  the  in- 
valid listened  attentively  as  I  read  to  him  some  of  the  war- 
news,  for  which  he  begged  in  preference  to  stories  from  novel 
or  magazine.  He  interrupted  occasionally  to  tell  me  of  his 
life  of  wandering,  of  his  adventures,  and  how,  recently,  he 
had  been  Ij'ing  and  watching,  from  his  cot  in  the  tent,  the 
burials  that  took  place  across  the  river,  "  sometimes  five  to 
ten  a  day,"  said  he.  "  But  you  must  remember  that  the 
population  is  said  to  be  nearly  fort}'  thousand,"  said  I, 
"  and  that  the  Dawsonites  are  living  in  a  marshy  swamp, 
while  we  are  are  on  high,  dry  ground."  Just  then  a  blonde 
head  appeared,  and  a  pleasant  voice  exclaimed,  "  How  are 
you  feeling,  Mr.  Jones?  " — "  Oh,  much  better,  thank  j'ou," 

and  turning  to  me  he  said,  "  Mrs.  H ,  let  me  make  you 

acquainted  with  Mrs.  A ,"  and  I  was  soon  deeply  inter- 
ested in  listening  to  Mrs.  A 's  experiences  in  crossing 

the  trail  from  Dyea,  which  she  declared  to  be  so  wonder- 
fully beautiful  that  it  more  than  repaid  one  for  all  the  perils 
of  the  undertaking. 

Ne.xt  came  Mr.  O to  see  if  he  could  be  of  assistance; 

so  taking  my  departure  I  walked  down  the  bank  to  the  cabin 
of  a  feeble  neighbour,  who  had  appealed  to  my  sympathy  the 
previous  day,  but  his  tent  was  empty.  A  neighbour  said: 
"  Oh,  I  got  him  off  by  the  Bella,  and,  although  it  's  a  great 
relief,  I  'm  filled  with  anxiet}^  lest  he  should  not  live  to 
reach  home.  You  see  we  started  out  as  partners  months 
ago,  and  were  to  .share  half  and  half  in  all  claims  we  might 
stake,  but  before  we  reached  the  Lakes  he  had  a  hemorrhage 
which  was  so  alarming  that  I  tried  to  persuade  him  to  re- 
turn, but  he  would  n't  listen  to  it,  consequent!)'  he  .soon 
grew  worse  and  I  had  to  carry  him  on  my  back  whenever 
we  reached  a  landing  ;  from  a  strong,  stout  man  he  soon  be- 


126         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

came  the  wreck  you  saw  him.  Mj-  seven  months  have  been 
spent  in  nursing  liim,  we  have  staked  no  claims,  and  I  am 
about  seven  hundred  dollars  out,  but  don't  mind  that  if  he 
only  gets  home  safely.  I  intend  now  to  pack  np  and  go  on 
the  American  side,  where  one  has  no  ten-per-cent.  royalt}-  to 
paj'."  As  the  Bella  was  leaving,  our  man  Isaacs  rushed 
from  the  tent  exclaiming,  "  Excuse  me,  marm,  but  as  I 
helped  caulk  that  ship  when  I  was  down  on  me  luck  in  St. 
Michaels,  I  must  see  how  she  goes.  Well,  she  do  behave 
beautiful,  she  do." 

Although  this  is  mainland,  we  call  it  "  our  island,"  because 
it  seems  to  us,  as  though  we  are  leading  a  Robinson  Crusoe 
life.  We  went  on  an  exploring  expedition  this  afternoon 
and  our  imaginary  boundary  lines  are  an  eighth  of  a  mile  on 
either  side,  consisting  on  the  left  of  a  poultry-yard  and  small 
slaughtering  establi.shment,  from  which  the  odour  was  so 
unpleasant  that  we  hastily  retraced  our  steps  ;  on  the  right, 
a  rivulet  or  creek  coming  down  from  the  mountain-side  which 
supplies  us  with  drinking  water.  As  walking  over  this 
boggy  ground  is  ruinous  to  shoes,  we  have  decided  to  imi- 
tate the  neighbours  and  wear  either  muck-a-lucks  or  rubber 
boots.  We  were  greeted  pleasantlj'  from  each  cabin,  where 
the  miners  are  taking  their  summer's  rest  after  a  hard  win- 
ter's work.     Returned  to  find  Dr.  H waiting  to  pay  us 

a  visit  ;  he  had  brought  photographs  of  his  cabin,  and  talked 

of  the  friends  we  had  in  common  in  Japan.     M ,  who 

had  been  shopping  for  us  in  Dawson,  brought  us  rice,  ropes, 
buckets,  and  numerous  other  little  things  needed,  which  it 
had  been  quite  impossible  for  us  to  obtain.  He  joined  us  at 
dinner,  and  how  we  did  enjoj*  that  moosse-steak  !  After 
dinner  the  rain  came  down  in  torrents. 

For  two  days  we  have  been  waiting  for  the  man  who 
superintended  the  erection  of  our  tent,  as  the  poles  are  en- 
tireh'  too  short,  causing  it  to  sag,  and  now  we  are  punished 
for  his  neglect,  as  the  sagging  forms  everywhere  pockets 
which  hold  water  and  allow  it  to  drip  through  as  does  the 
fruit-juice  from  a  jelly-bag.  There  are  twenty-four  big 
pockets,  and  innumerable  smaller  ones,  so  we  rush  from  one 


The  "Sick  Boy"  127 

to  the  other,  raising  the  canvas  with  sticks,  to  hear  the  water 
drop  with  a  thud  on  the  ground  outside. 
■  E and  I  have  both  grown  tired  of  swinging  in  ham- 
mocks and  want  something  more  stationary-,  so  Isaacs,  with 
the  assistance  of  our  neighbours,  cut  down  some  trees,  made 
them  into  four  bedstead-legs,  which  they  drove  solidly  into 
the  ground,  nailed  across  these  side-poles,  and  then  pieces 
for  the  head  and  foot.  The  frame  being  finished,  a  double 
thickness  of  burlap  was  tightl}-  stretched  across  it,  and  this 

was  E 's  bed,  upon  which  her  hammock  and  mattress 

were  placed  ;  a  similar  one  was  then  constructed  for  me  and 
finished  by  ii  p.m.,  and  it  was  still  too  light  tor  a  candle. 
Isaacs  had  had  an  unusually  hard  day's  work,  but  had  been 
unwilling  to  leave  until  he  had  made  us  thoroughly  com- 
fortable. The  "  boys"  had  divided  their  time  between  ren- 
dering him  assistance  and  entertaining  us.    Mr.  A gave 

us  his  experiences  in  crossing  the  Chilkoot  Pass  to  which  we 
listened  intently,  wondering  whether  we  should  be  able  to 
screw  up  our  courage  to  the  point  of  attempting  so  difficult 
a  feat.  He  said  that,  like  many  another,  he  had  quarrelled 
with  his  partner  and  made  the  usual  division — cut  the  tent 
in  half,  the  boat  in  twain,  and  even  divided  the  stove.  All 
night  long  the  rain  continued,  but  we,  tightly  wrapped  in 
blankets  in  our  fine  new  beds,  thought  of  the  old  song, 

"  Oh  't  is  sweet  to  lie  at  even 
On  the  lowly  cottage  bed. 
And  to  hear  the  rain-drops  patter 
On  the  roof-lop  overhead." 

'T  would  have  been  sweeter  except  for  the  fact  that  our  fiftj'- 
pound  sack  of  flour,  and  all  our  worldly  goods  were  lying 
on  the  ground,  and  we  wondered  whether  they  would  be 
ruined  by  the  dampness. 

Tuesday,  August  2d. 

Not  enough  sun  to  dry  anything,  but  it  is  a  blessing  that 

the  rain  has  ceased,  and  we  are  praying  to  be  protected  from 

rheumatic  pains,  for  dampness  reigns  supreme  this  morning. 

It  was  quite  ten  before  we  were  able  to  have  breakfast,  but 


128        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

that  is  an  hour  earlier  than  any  of  our  neighbours,  who  are 
seldom  about  before  noon.  Isaacs  prepared  us  a  delicious 
breakfast,  and  we  are  thankful  for  such  a  perfect  oil-stove, 
which  is  always  ready  at  a  moment's  notice  for  cooking  of 
any  kind  ;  we  had  nice  fresh  salmon  taken  from  our  Klon- 
dike refrigerator,  which,  bj-  the  waj-,  I  have  not  yet  described. 
By  digging  from  one  and  a  half  to  two  feet  underground,  one 
strikes  ice,  so  we  have  a  large  subterranean  ditch  in  the 
kitchen  corner  of  the  tent,  in  which  we  place  boxes  contain- 
ing meat,  fish,  or  whatever  one  would  preserve  on  ice  at 
home. 

Mr.  O— —  and  Mr.  J paid  a  friendly  call  to  ask  if  we 

wished  to  be  rowed  over  to  town,  but  we  were  so  very  busy 
unpacking  and  decorating  our  tent,  that  we  had  to  depend 
upon  them  to  bring  us  back  a  roast  for  dinner.  Isaacs 
busied  himself  making  a  couple  of  benches  for  our  table  ; 
chopping  trees,  and  breaking  boxes,  from  which  he  made  us 
shelves  and  a  couple  of  stools.  'T  was  three  o'clock  before 
we  knew  it.  Isaacs  prepared  soup  from  a  "  beef-stock 
powder,"  while  E made  most  delicious  scalloped  to- 
matoes. We  partook  of  these  dishes  and  hot  biscuit  with 
keen  relish,  while  our  cook,  being  such  a  hard  worker,  got 
the  remains  of  the  moose-meat  of  the  daj-  previous,  with 
some  "  evaporated"  potatoes. 

At  four  o'clock  Dr.   H brought  two  most  attractive 

young  Englishwomen,  who  had  come  from  Dawson  to  have 
tea  with  him.  They  had  "  come  in  "  over  the  Chilkoot 
Pass.  One  had  crossed  the  summit,  suspended  in  a  basket, 
one  thousand  feet  above  sea  level.  Naturally  we  were  deeply 
interested  in  their  descriptions.  Mrs.  F.  had  lived  in  "\'ic- 
toria,  B.  C,  and  knew  man)-  of  my  friends  there,  so  the  visit 
seemed  all  too  short. 

5  P.M.      A   Mr.   S has  just  been   here,   attracted  by 

our  pigeons,  having  rai.sed  fancy  pigeons  at  home  for  his  own 
amusement.  He  gave  us  much  excellent  advice  in  regard 
to  building  their  cotes,  and  kindly  offered  to  as.sist  in  their 
construction.  He  sat  on  the  ground,  Japanese  fashion,  out- 
side of  our  tent  door  and  related  some  of  his  experiences. 


The  "Sick  Boy"  129 

He  said  that  most  of  the  "  boj-s  "  had  struck  it  rich,  but 
that  his  turn  had  not  yet  arrived,  as  he  did  not  intend  to 
work  his  claims  until  those  on  either  side  had  found  plentj' 
of  pay  gold,  after  which  it  would  be  easy  for  him  to  trace 
the  vein.  "  There  's  nothing  makes  a  man  cuss  so  much," 
said  he,  "  as  continuous  but  unsuccessful  hard  work.  Why, 
I  cuss  bj'  the  hour  sometimes,  an'  it  's  like  a  thunder-storm 
— it  clears  the  air."  "Perhaps,  should  you  do  less  '  cussing, ' 
and  a  little  more  praying,"  I  mildly  suggested,  "  you  might 
have  better  luck."  "I  '11  bet  the  Missus  is  right,"  said 
Isaacs,  tying  his  necktie  and  drawing  up  a  bench  on  which 
he  comfortably  seated  himself,  "  but  by  gosh  !  it  do  comfort 

one  a  lot  to  sa}'  it  all  out."     E and  I  looked  at  each 

other  but  dared  not  speak,  as  Isaacs  commenced  questioning 
our  visitor,  and  relating  experiences  which  had  caused  him 
also  to  use  strong  language.  Cooks  are  rare  in  this  part  of 
the  world,  even  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  month  and 
grub,  and  it  would  never  do  to  offend  one  ;  so,  as  we  came 
to  camp  among  this  people  and  to  write  experiences,  we  de- 
termined to  accept  everything  in  the  kindly  spirit  in  which 
it  was  intended,  and  if  our  "  Jack-of-all-trades  "  is  "  down  on 
his  luck"  just  now,  a  turn  of  the  shovel  maj^  make  him  a 
millionaire.  In  this  countr}-  there  are  no  cliques  of  anj'  kind, 
and  all  are  really  upon  a  perfect  equalitj'  ;  besides,  Isaacs 
whispered  to  me  to-day,  "  I  say.  Missus,  don't  j-ou  give  it 
away,  but  I  've  struck  quartz  just  up  here  where  I  've  been 
digging,  an'  if  there  's  much  of  it  there,  we  can  stake  out 
all  this  land,  and  a  mill-site  as  well." 

6    P.M.      "  What    you    doing  ?      Writing    up   all   your 

troubles?  "  said  Mr.  O ,  as  he  stood  at  the  entrance  to 

our  camp.  "  How  could  we  have  any,"  I  answered,  "  with 
such  kind  neighbours,  and  where  all  is  so  peaceful  ?  "  "I 
came  to  see  if  you  ladies  would  n't  like  to  go  to  a  dance  to- 
night— a  real  nice,  respectable  dance,  and  something  you 
could  write  home  about."  "  Where  's  it  going  to  be?" 
called  out  Isaacs,  from  behind  the  kitchen  stove. — "  Over  at 
C — ■ — 's  ;  you  going?"  "No;  I  'm  too  tired,"  replied 
Isaacs.     "  I  've  been  up  all  night  for  two  nights  and  I  must 


13°        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

get  some  sleep  to-iiiglit. "     "  Won't  you  go,  ladies  ? ' '  pleaded 

O .     "  I  '11  row  you  over  and  back,  and  give  you  a  fine 

supper  into  the  bargain."  "  It  is  really  most  kind,"  we  ex- 
claimed, "  and  we  appreciate  it  very  much,  but  we  've  been 
unpacking  all  daj-  and  are  thoroughlj'  exhausted  ;  there  '11 
be  other  dances,  will  there  not  ?  "  "  Yes,  but  this  is  going 
to  be  a  splendid  affair,  and  the  supper  's  going  to  be  fine." 
"  Supper  !  "  interrupted  Isaacs;  "  why,  that  would  cost  eight 
dollars  a  head,  and  if  a-ou  should  give  'em  fizz  at  fort}'  dollars 
a  pint,  you  'd  blow  in  a  hundred  dollars."     "  Oh  !  I  don't 

mind  that,"  said  O ,  "  if  they  'd  onlj'.  go;  and  they  surely 

ought  to  see  everything  in  Dawson." 

Just  then  someone  passed  and  said  that  the  "  sick  boy  " 
was  not  so  well.  I  went  at  once  to  his  tent  and  found  that 
his  illness  had  changed  its  form  to  one  for  which  I  happened 
to  have  an  infallible  cure.  Its  effect  upon  the  invalid  was 
marvellous,  and  saved  him  from  the  dj-seatery  with  which 
he  was  threatened.  He  was  in  a  talkative  mood,  so  I  sat  by 
his  bedside  and  listened  to  a  short  and  interesting  sketch  of 
his  life,  which  I  regret  not  having  time  to  jot  down  just  now. 

"  Was  n't  j'ou  and  Miss  V in  Denver  ?  "  asked  he  ;  "I 

thought  I  saw  you  there  at  a  swell  hotel.  This  little  tent  o' 
mine  ain't  no  place  for  30U  to  be.  I  'ni  glad  you  come  on 
this  side  o'  the  river  to  live,  coz  the  '  boys '  are  all  nice  an' 
kind,  an'  the  likes  o'  that.  If  j-ou  'd  'a'  gone  to  Dawson  in 
that  new  hotel,  you  'd  'a'  been  shut  in  with  an  awful  rough 

lot  o'  fellows.     W^hen  Mrs.  B arrived  on  this  side,  an' 

said  she  did  n't  want  to  live  in  a  tent,  and  wished  the  boys 
would  help  her  build  a  house,  I  said,  '  Certainl}'  we  will  ; 
come  ahead,  boys,'  an'  we  had  her  cabin  nice  an'  snug  an* 
ready  for  her  to  go  into  it  in  a  daj'  ;  but  we  can't  do  nothin' 
for  you;  you  've  got  not  only  every  comfort,  but  every 
luxury,  besides  a  man  to  wait  on  you.  But  there  's  my  boat, 
an'  she  's  a  dand}',  an'  I  'd  be  powerful  glad  to  have  you 
take  her  and  row  to  town  whenever  you  feel  like  it,  an'  when 
I  git  well,  I  kin  .stake  out  a  claim  an'  give  it  to  you.     Have 

you  got  anj'  relations  named  General  H ?     I  used  to  see 

him  a  long  time  ago,  an'  thought  perhaps  he  might  be  a  re- 


132        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

lative  of  j-ours.  Not  much  fuii  having  a  mau  o'  the  same 
name  in  the  same  town  with  you.  Now  last  j-ear  when  I 
was  in  Dj-ea  I  was  the  only  Jones  in  town,  an'  all  letters 
directed  to  John  Jones  came  straight  to  me  ;  then  there  came 
along  another  man  named  John  Jones,  so  I  had  my  mail 
directed  '  J.  P.  Jones,'  and  by  Josh  !  if  there  did  n't  come 
along  a  fellow  of  same  name  an'  very  same  initials,  an'  he  a 
nigger  workin'  in  the  hotel  ;  so  then  I  had  mj'  name  written 
out  in  full — ^Jonathan  Peter  Jones — an'  after  that  I  never 
got  no  letters  at  all." 

At  9  P.M.  a  pleasant  voice  said,  "  I  reckon  I  'm  the  onl)^ 

neighbour  that  has  n't  called  on  you.     I  'm  Mrs.  B ,  and 

the  busiest  woman  you  ever  met  ;  moved  over  here  from 
Dawson  to  be  quiet,  and  indulge  in  literary  work,  but  it  's 
no  use  ;  everyone  is  so  kind  that  there  is  never  a  moment  in 
the  day  without  visitors,  and  so  I  have  n't  had  time  to  come 

before,"  and  in  stepped  Mrs.  B ,  dressed  in  an  Indian 

buckskin  suit  with  two  rows  of  fringe  around  the  bottom, 
a  most  picturesque  figure  ;  and  for  the  past  two  hours  she 
has  entertained  us  with  such  stories  of  hairbreadth  escapes, 
— in  Arizona,  New  Mexico,  and  coming  over  the  Pass, — that 
they  far  surpassed  in  excitement  the  most  thrilling  tales  ever 
written. 

Mrs.  B told  of  being  "  on  the  Mexican  trail,"  when 

her  guide  wanted  to  turn  back  through  fear  of  the  Indians, 
"  but  I  got  the  drop  on  him  first,"  said  she  ;  "  otherwise  he 
would  have  abandoned  me  right  there,  and  I  never  should 
have  been  able  to  find  my  way  out  again."  In  crossing  the 
Rapids,  her  guide,  in  a  fit  of  anger,  took  her  into  the  most 
dangerous  part,  became  frightened,  lost  control  of  his  skiff, 

and  shouted,  "  Paddle  for  your  life,  or  you  '11  be  in  h !" 

whereupon  she  replied  coollj',  "  You  '11  join  me  there  unless 
you  work  as  j'ou  've  never  worked  before." 

Another  story  was  that  once,  after  a  long  day's  tramp,  she 
stopped  at  a  solitary  cabin  in  the  wilderness  to  beg  for  food 
and  .shelter.  As  the  door  was  opened,  she  recognised  (from 
a  picture  she  had  seen  in  one  of  the  papers)  a  famous  and 
long-sought-for  criminal.     However,  she  entered,  was  given 


The  "Sick  Boy"  133 

food,  and  after  resting,  while  talking  to  her  host,  betrayed 
in  some  way  that  she  had  discovered  his  identity,  whereupon 
he  sprang  at  her,  knife  in  hand,  crying,  "  Are  you  one  of  the 
she-devils  come  to  bring  a  wretched  mortal  to  justice?" 
She  replied,  "  Do  you  think  I  'd  be  mean  enough  to  betray 
a  man  whose  face  shows  the  torture  of  his  daih'  and  hourly 
punishment?"  At  that  he  fell  back  trembling  like  an 
aspen,  and  allowed  her  to  depart  in  peace.  We  expressed 
great  astonishment  at  her  courage  and  daring,  but  she  said 
that  her  love  for  work  among  the  Indians  was  so  great  as  to 
cause  her  to  forget  all  fear  and  thought  of  self.  Before 
leaving  she  asked  if  we  would  like  to  go  on  a  stampede. 
We  both  jumped  at  the  suggestion  and  were  so  wildly  ex- 
cited at  the  plan  she  unfolded  that  we  had  little  sleep  that 
night. 


CHAPTER  XV 

OUR    FIRST    DINNER    IN    DAWSON 

Wednesday,  August  3d. 

ANOTHER  rainy  daj' !    Consequently,  no  stampede,  as  one 
would  sink  beyond  the  knee  at  each  step.     Isaacs  was 

late,  so  E made  some  of  her  delicious  biscuit  and  broiled 

some  bacon,  while  I  attended  to  the  dining-room  and  fed  and 
watered  the  many  pets.  Just  as  we  finished,  our  man  Friday 
entered,  in  time  to  do  full  justice  to  the  remnants  of  our  re- 
past, although,  as  we  had  furnished  him  on  the  previous  day 
with  a  month's  "  grub,"  the  agreement  was  that  he  was  to 
do  all  his  cooking  and  his  eating  in  his  own  tent.  So  fearful 
were  we,  however,  of  losing  our  cook,  butler,  boatman,  and 
Jack-of-all-trades,  that  we  dared  not  enter  a  protest.  We 
had  lines  stretched  across  the  rear  of  the  tent,  and  prepared 
to  empty  the  trunks,  which  were  covered  with  mould  from 
having  been  stored  in  damp  quarters  while  coming  up  the 
Yukon.  We  found  many  of  our  gowns  ruined  beyond  re- 
demption, or  in  such  a  condition  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  wear  them  again  at  home  ;  but  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company  has  the  reputation  of  being  just  and  honourable, 
so  the  loss  will  perhaps  be  made  good  to  us  on  our  return  to 
San  Francisco. 

Visitor  number  one,  Mrs.  B ,  followed  bj-  Mr.  S , 

who  came  to  assist  in  erecting  the  pigeon-cote.     Isaacs  was 

busy  at  work  upon  it  when  I  said,  "  Mr.  S will  show 

you  how  to  do  it,  as  he  has  rai.sed  and  cared  for  fancy 
pigeons."  "  All  right,  ma'am,"  replied  Isaacs  ;  "  I  '11 
watch  him,"  and  down  he  sat,  lighting  his  pipe  and  leaving 

134 


136        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

the  work  to  Mr.  S .     Here  I  really  did  have  courage  to 

enter  a  protest,  which  fortunatel}^  was  graciousl}'  accepted. 

Visitor  number  three,  Mr.  T ,  who,  finding  us  busy  in 

the  depths  of  yawning  trunks,  said  that  he  would  not  disturb 
us,  seated  himself  in  an  easy  chair  at  the  tent  door,  and  en- 
joyed the  magazines  and  papers,  while  we  continued  our 
work  behind  the  screen.  "  Here  's  your  latest  paper,"  we 
heard  a  couple  of  newsboj'S  crying,  as  they  went  from  tent  to 
tent,  causing  quite  a  little  excitement.  California  daily  five- 
cent  papers  were  freely  purchased  at  one  dollar  each.  We  also 
bought  the  Dawson  Klondike  Nugget  for  fiftj-  cents,  for  which 
the  small  news-vendors  told  us  that  thej'  received  twenty-five 
cents  commission  on  the  sale  of  each  paper,  showing  that 
even  here,  the  middleman  reaps  a  larger  benefit  than  the  pro- 
ducer, whose  expenses  must  be  deducted. 

At  noon  M arrived,  bringing  with  him  some  veal  for 

luncheon,  which  he  remained  to  share  with  us  ;  we  had  also 
some  delicious  potato  balls,  made  from  desiccated  potatoes, 
and  macaroni  and  cheese,  in  which  we  were  indulging  with 

ravenous  appetites  when  Mrs.  B appeared,  bringing  with 

her  Dr.    D ,   a  Presbyterian  clergyman.     She  left  him 

seated  with  us  at  table,  but  not  partaking  of  our  food,  while 
she  went  to  prepare  the  luncheon  for  which  she  had  in- 
vited him.  The  result  of  this  visit  was  that  we  promised 
our  tent  for  religious  services  next  Sunday  morning,  at 
eleven  o'clock,  granting  permission  for  notices  to  be  posted 
both  here  and  in  Dawson  proper.  In  the  midst  of  an  inter- 
esting conversation  we  heard  a  voice  outside  calling,  "  Din- 
ner is  now  ready  in  the  Pullman  car,"  and  in  this  manner 
Mrs.  B — —  informed  the  clergyman  that  his  time  was  up. 
"  Is  it  the  third  and  last  call  ?  "  we  shouted,  and  upon  hear- 
ing a  reply  in  the  affirmative  Dr.  D bade  us  an  rcvoir. 

After  luncheon  we  were  informed  b)'  Isaacs  that  the  pigeon- 
cote  was  ready  to  be  lifted  to  the  top  of  the  four  poles  which 
he  had  embedded  in  the  ground  before  the  tent.  "  Now 
we  '11  see,"  said  he,  "  how  many  of  j-our  neighbours  who  's 
been  a-hoffering  to  do  heverythink  for  you  will  'elp  me  up 
with  this  'eavy  box.     I  expect  they  will  all  be  deaf  dumb, 


Our  First  Dinner  in  Dawson  137 

and  blind  when  I  calls  upon  them,"  but  he  soon  discovered 
his  mistake,  and  the  cote  was  soon  high  in  air  near  the  river 
bank,  giving  the  Dawsonites  and  the  West  Dawsonites  an- 
other novelty  to  admire.  Two  good  hours  it  took  to  drive 
the  pigeons  out  of  the  tent,  after  which  the  flap  had  to  be 
closed,  as  we  discovered  for  the  first  time  how  like  cats  they 
are  in  their  love  for  home.  This  work  finished,  it  was  quite 
time  to  dress  for  our  first  dinner  in  Dawson. 

We  had  seen  so  much  of  .showy  silk  gowns  and  draggled 
feathers  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  that  we  preferred  the 
quiet  elegance  of  a  well-made  "  tailor  suit"  with  "  boiled 
collar  "  and  silk  tie.  Just  before  starting,  O came  to  in- 
form me  that  the  "  sick  boy  "  would  like  to  have  a  little  of 
our  Van  Camp's  soup,  so  over  to  his  tent  I  went  with  it  ; 
found  him  in  good  spirits  and  with  a  ravenous  appetite.  He 
expressed  himself  as  delighted  that  we  were  ' '  going  to  dine 
with  such  nice  people,  and  to  see  something  of  the  better 

class  of  life."     Just  starting  again,  when  Mrs.  B came 

to  tell  us  that  she  also  had  an  invalid  on  her  hands,  who 
thought  he  could  relish  the  same  soup,  a  tin  of  which  we 
gladl}'  gave  her.  She  said,  "  In  this  countrj',  one  must 
always  take  something  in  return  for  such  a  gift  ;  what  shall 
it  be  ?  "  but  we  were  speedilj^  out  of  sight  and  hearing,  as 
we  stepped  into  the  boat  with  Isaacs  in  the  role  of  boatman, 
and  a  powerful  one  he  proved  to  be,  easily  rowing  it  against 
the  tremendous  current. 

Scarcely  had  we  landed  when  such  a  tremendous  shower 
came  down  that  we  rushed  for  protection  to  the  vestibule  of 
the  store  of  the  North  American  Transportation  Company, 
where  we  found  many  others  seeking  shelter.  All  eyes  were 
on  our  tent,  which  we  were  facing,  and  the  comments  were 
most  amusing,  as  they  wondered  whether  it  belonged  to  the 
Salvation  Arm}',  a  merry-go-round,  or  circus  company,  but 
as  a  gust  of  wind  sprang  up,  some  one  shouted,  "  Oh,  it  's  a 
balloon  !  they  're  inflating  it."  As  we  anxiously  watched 
it  rising  and  falling  with  the  wind,  someone  overhearing  our 
remarks  on  the  subject  said,  "  Does  it  belong  to  you  two 
ladies?     Why  would  n't  one  half  that  size 'a' done  yer  ?      Is 


138         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

it  Salvation  Army  ?  " — "  No  ;  but  there  are  to  be  services 
there  next  Sunday  morning." — "  Free  to  all?" — "  Most 
certainly." — "  Well,  then,  we  're  a-goin',  an'  manj-  a  boy 
who  never  goes  to  church  '11  come,  too,  an'  plenty  o'  others 
who  want  to  see  the  inside  o'  that  there  tent." 

Just  then  our  host,  Mr.  M ,  and  his  chum  R dis- 
covered our  retreat ;  the  rain  stopped,  and  we  were  escorted 
to  their  one-roomed  cabin.  "  I  thought  j'ou  'd  like  dining 
in  here,  and  seeing  just  how  we  live,  better  than  going  to  a 
restaurant,  and  so  here  we  are,"  said  M — — ,  as  we  took  a 
high  step  into  the  room,  gorgeous  with  a  magnificent  fur- 
robe  in  one  corner,  a  library  in  the  other,  in  the  third  an  oil- 
stove  and  a  few  kitchen  utensils,  while  facing  that  was  the 
dining  corner  used  for  multifarious  purposes.  We  were  at 
once  seated  on  empty  grocery  boxes  for  chairs  at  a  pine  table 
without  a  cover,  according  to  the  custom  of  the  country. 
On  tin  plates  before  us  were  caviare  and  sardines  on  toast, 
which  our  host  had  previously  prepared.  There  were  two 
other  guests,  one  of  whom  handed  me  an  envelope  containing 

a  letter  of  introduction  from  a  son  of  Judge  B ,  who 

wrote  :  "  It  is  a  matter  of  much  regret  to  me,  that  I  am  leav- 
ing here  before  your  arrival,  for  I  had  looked  forward  to  the 
pleasure  of  meeting  you,  and  thought,  moreover,  that  I 
might  be  of  some  assistance  to  you.  However,  I  am  sure  I 
cannot  do  better  than  by  introducing  my  friends  of  New 

York.     Anything  they  can  do  for  you  and  Miss  V- I  am 

sure  they  will  be  most  glad  to.  With  best  wishes  for  a 
pleasant  sojourn,  I  am  sincerely  yours."     We  were  soon  well 

acquainted,    as   F and    C were   college   mates   of 

E 's  brother,  and  .she  had  already  heard  much  of  them 

through  him. 

While  we  were  chatting  and  enjoying  the  first  cour.se,  our 
host  was  putting  a  spoonful  of  soup  stock  into  each  of  six  tin 
cups  filled  with  hot  water  ;  he  then  passed  them  to  us,  say- 
ing, "  Your  medicine  is  now  ready  to  be  taken,"  and  very 
good  medicine  it  was,  too.  Our  host  then  reached  over  to  a 
frying-pan  on  the  small  stove,  stirring  with  one  hand  a  mess 
of  oysters  and  cheese,  while  in  the  other  he  held  his  soup- 


I40        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

cup,  from  which  he  took  an  occasional  sip.  The  pan  was 
then  lifted  from  the  stove,  and  its  contents  distributed  on 
our  tin  platters,  and  proving  to  be  a  most  palatable  con- 
coction. M ate  with  us,  heating  macaroni  and  toma- 
toes at  the  same  time;  and  how  we  enjoyed  it  all  !  After 
carefully  cleaning  our  plates,  we  received  upon  them  a  bit  of 
mince-pie  (a  great  luxur}'),  which  had  been  nicely  divided  into 
six  portions,  with  a  tin}-  scrap  left  over,  so  that  no  one  should 

be  rude  enough  to  take  the  last  piece,  said  M .     How  we 

laughed  over  this  novel  entertainment,  and  wished  for  photo- 
graphs of  such  an  unusual  spectacle  as  that  of  college-bred 
youths  in  rough  miners'  costumes  enjoying  this  repast  with 
more  pleasure  than  the  finest  entertainment  they  could  be 
given  at  home.  We  wondered  what  the  different  members 
of  our  families  would  have  said  could  they  have  had  but  a 
momentary  glimpse  of  the  scene.  Certainl}-,  no  one  dining 
with  all  the  luxury  known  to  civilisation  could  have  enjoyed 
delicacies  of  the  best  market  with  more  appreciation,  or  had 
a  more  delightful  feast  of  reason  and  flow  of  soul,  than  had 
we  in  our  primitive  surroundings,  talking  so  rapidly  that 
one  scarce  could  wait  for  the  other  to  finish  a  sentence. 

The  dinner  ended,  our  host  suggested  that  we  nmst 
"  do  the  town,"  adding  that  there  could  never  be  a  more 
auspicious  moment  than  the  present,  when  we  had  four  such 
splendid  big  protectors.     So   off  we   started.     I  was  soon 

hailed  bj'  a  fellow-passenger  of  the  Sf.  Paid,  Mr.  J ,  who 

called  out,  "  Oh,  Mrs.  H ,  do  come  in  a  moment  and  see 

Mr.  P ." — "  No,  thanks,  I  'm  standing  on  ceremony  and 

sha'n't  be  able  to,  as  Mr.   P has  not  called  on  me."^ 

"  But  he  's  ill,  poor  fellow,  and  has  been  on  his  back  for  a 
fortnight  at  least."     Down  I  rushed,  and  into  one  of  the 

most  luxurious  cabins  j'et  visited,  where  poor  P was 

lying  on  a  couch  covered  with  the  usual  fur  robe.  One  has 
such  deep  sympathy  for  these  ' '  boys  ' '  so  far  away  from  home, 
but  not  from  friends,  for  such  evidences  of  kindness  on  all 

sides  could  scarcel}'  be  equalled  elsewhere.     P seemed 

really  glad  to  see  me,  but  I  could  not  remain  long  on  account 
of  the  friends  waiting  outside.     He  promised  to  let  me  know 


Our  First  Dinner  in  Dawson  141 

if  he  required  an5'thing  that  could  not  be  purchased  in  town. 
J then  called  out,  "  Do  take  a  peep  into  my  cabin  oppo- 
site and  see  how  comfortable  it  is.  Look  out  for  your  head  ' ' ; 
but  low  as  that  poor  head  was  bent,  it  was  not  sulEciently  so 

for  the  entrance.     J had  a  most  beautiful  air-mattress, 

which  he  wished  to  sell  for  thirty-live  dollars — very  cheap 
for  Dawson — but  E — ■ —  and  I  have  had  all  we  want  of  such 
unsatisfactory  couches,  which  are  like  bicycle  tires,  liable  to 
be  punctured  at  anj'  time,  or  to  let  the  air  escape  and  leave 
one  with  aching  bones  in  the  morning.     Again  we  started, 

and  again  we  were  stopped  by  another  passenger,  Mr.  P 

of  Virginia,  and  as  we  were  anxious  to  learn  his  plans  for 
invading  the  Koyukuk  district  there  was  another  delay. 

We  finallj'  reached  Main  Street,  which  was  as  crowded 
and  as  light  at  ten  o'clock  as  any  fashionable  promenade 
would  have  been  at  that  hour  in  the  daytime.  At  each 
corner  we  were  stopped  b}'  greetings  from  former  fellow- 
passengers,  and,  finally,  by  one  of  the  men  we  had  grub- 
staked, who  said:  "  I  've  been  trying  all  day  to  reach  West 
Dawson  to  see  j-ou  on  important  business,  but  could  get  no 
boat.  There  is  a  big  stampede  to  — - — ■  Creek.  I  've  been 
out  there  and  located  claims  for  you  two  ladies,  and  have 
done  enough  work  to  be  certain  that  the  ground  is  rich,  so 
I  've  come  in  to  pack  a  lot  o'  grub  back,  and  want  all  your 
orders  in  case  you  should  leave  before  I  git  through  pro- 
spectin'.  Anywa}',  when  you  come  back  next  j-ear  you  may 
look  for  big  returns  from  these  mines,  even  if  I  don't  get  to 
stake  another."  The  party  waited  patiently  while  we 
listened  to  these  glowing  accounts  and  then  rejoined  our 
escorts,  quite  excited  over  the  brilliant  prospect.  Our  host 
then  proposed  that  as  our  beverage  at  dinner  had  been 
water,  we  should  stop  at  the  Hoffman  House,  which  he  was 
anxious  to  show  us,  for  a  liqueur.  We  were  told  that  this 
house  belonged  to  "  Nigger  Jim,"  who  had  established  it  in 
Dawson  because  he  had  not  been  able  to  purchase  the  hostelry 
of  the  same  name  in  New  York,  which  had  delighted  him 
more  than  anything  he  had  seen  during  his  travels. 

Filled  with  curiosity  we  entered,  joined  by  Mr.  M 's 


142 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


^' big  brother,"  as  he  calls  him,  to  distinguish  him  from  seven 
other  fellows  who  bear  the  same  relationship.  We  entered 
what  would  seem  at  home  a  small  room,  but  which,  here,  is 
of  unusually  good  size  ;  at  the  end  was  a  stage  where  five 
musicians  played  Cavallcria  R^tsticana,  as  well  as  I  have  ever 
heard  it,  the  violinist  being  particularly  good.  At  a  large 
table  in  the  centre  sat  "  Nigger  Jim  "  (whom  I  have  pre- 


A    DAWSON    HOTEL. 

viously  described,  and  who  has  the  reputation  of  being  "  as 
clean  and  honest  a  white  man  as  ever  came  into  this  camp"). 
He  was  surrounded  by  a  dozen  of  his  satellites,  men  and 
women,  and  was  entertaining  them  in  the  grandest  style 
known  to  Dawson. 

E — —  and  I  being  the  "Chee  Charkers  "  (otherwise  known 
as  strangers  or  people  to  be  pre5^ed  upon  by  sharks  with 
wildcat  schemes)  attracted  general  attention.  We  remained 
long  enough  to  hear  two  songs  from  a  man  with  an  exceed- 


Our  First  Dinner  in  Dawson  143 

iiigly  fine  voice,  and  then  were  invited  to  the  Combination 
Company  Theatre.  Our  party  had  grown  to  eight,  so  we 
felt  sufficiently  well  protected  to  follow  the  custom  of  the 
countrj-  and  enter  the  parquet  through  the  barroom — a  pro- 
ceeding so  common  here  (in  fact  one  has  to  wade  through 
deep  mud  to  reach  the  side  entrance)  that  it  caused  no  re- 
mark. We  were  then  shown  up  a  pair  of  stairs  and  told  to 
take  our  choice  of  the  unoccupied  private  boxes  ;  cnl}-  four 
of  our  escorts  could  be  comfortablj*  accommodated,  so  we  had 
two  boxes,  and  the  men  continually  changed  places  with  one 
another.  We  could  see  and  not  be  seen,  protected  as  we 
were  bj'  the  curtains.  We  looked  down  upon  a  sea  of  som- 
breros, not  a  woman  in  all  the  audience,  as  the  boxes  are  re- 
served for  them  and  their  escorts.  We  were  the  only  ones 
who  sat  with  drawn  curtains,  consequently  curiositj'  was 
rife.  We  were  more  amused  by  watching  the  occupants  of 
the  boxes  than  with  the  performance  on  the  stage,  which 
was  of  the  usual  variety  order,  not  very  refined,  with  plenty 
of  coarse  jokes,  but  nothing  absolutely  vulgar.  The  j-oung 
lady  from  the  first  box  left  her  escort  and  descended  to  the 
stage,  and  entertained  us  with  a  song  of  a  poor  little  country 
maid  on  a  visit  to  town,  where  the  3-oung  men  made  to  her 
many  suggestions,  to  each  one  of  which  she  sang,  "  Will  it 
do  me  anj'  harm?"  in  the  most  innocent  way.  This  so 
pleased  the  ' '  boys ' '  in  the  audience,  that  they  threw  an 
abundance  of  chips  and  nuggets  on  the  stage,  all  of  which 
she  carefully  picked  up,  and  stowed  away — in  her  stocking. 
A  jealous  actress  in  the  next  box  said  in  a  stage-whisper, 
"  She  'd  never  get  so  much  money  for  her  voice;  it  's  all  be- 
cause the  '  boys  '  like  to  watch  her  trick  o'  stowin'  it  away." 
Never  before  have  we  seen  so  many  drinks  served.  Each 
man  in  a  box  is  expected  to  order  one  each  for  the  entire 
party  ;  one  dollar  apiece  is  the  price,  whether  lemonade,  or 

something  stronger.     In  a  short  time  E and  I  had  had 

six  glasses  of  lemonade  carried  away  untasted.     We  heard 

M giving  the  waiter  an  order  which  he  seemed  reluctant 

to  obey,  but  finally  did  as  he  was  told  and  handed  us  chips. 
"What   is  this   for?"    said  we.      "For   entertaining   the 


144        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

gentlemen  in  the  boxes,"  laughed  our  host,  and  then  with  a 
merry  peal  of  laughter  he  explained  that  in  this  new  theatre, 
also,  the  rule  prevailed  that  if  men  ordered  drinks  the  lady 
who  inspired  the  order  got  a  chip  which  she  could  afterwards 
"  cash  in."  The  waiter,  having  formerly  been  in  the  employ 
of  our  host,  whispered  to  him,  "  What  shall  I  do  with  the 

chips  ?  " — "  Give  them  to  the  ladies." — "  Oh,  Mr.  M ,  I 

would  never  dare  to  offer  them  to  such  ladies."     Nor  could 

he  be  persuaded  to  do  so  until  M insisted  upon  our 

carrying  away  such  souvenirs  of  the  occasion. 

Shortly  after,  Mr.  R and  Dr.  D appeared  and  in- 
sisted upon  our  gracing  their  box,  to  which  request  our  host 
acceded.  We  were  soon  in  a  loge  facing  the  stage,  with  two 
kerosene  lamps  between  it  and  our  view.  After  a  short  stay 
there,  we  were  invited  into  another  box, where  "  Nigger  Jim" 
was  introduced.  On  one  thing  he  prides  himself,  that  of 
never  wearing  a  coat.  He  had  on  a  beautiful  silk  London- 
made  shirt,  but  a  vest  covered  the  greater  part  of  it.  As  he 
leaned  back  against  the  wall,  the  "  big  brother  "  exclaimed, 
"  Don't  you  spoil  that  shirt  ;  you  promised  to  lend  it  to  me 
for  the  ball  to-morrow  night."  "  Why  did  the}^  give  you 
that  name  ?  "  said  I,  as  he  seated  himself  on  a  three-cornered 
wooden  stool  at  my  .side.  "  Just  listen  when  he  talks,"  said 
the  "  big  brother,"  "  and  it  won't  take  you  long  to  dis- 
cover." He  entertained  me  with  a  bit  of  his  life  in  London, 
where,  he  said,  all  the  men  were  bachelors,  which  saying  of 
his  is  quoted  all  over  Dawson.  He  was  as  courteous  and  as 
interesting  as  any  man  one  could  meet.  On  parting,  he 
asked  if  he  might  come  to  church  in  the  big  tent  on  vSunday, 
and  when  I  replied,  "  Shall  be  happy  to  see  you  then,  if  not 
before,"  he  was  so  pleased  that  he  forgot  his  society  man- 
ners, and  clapped  me  on  the  back,  saying,  "  Good  for  you  ! 
I  'm  a-coming."  The  men  all  looked  startled  and  anxious, 
as  though  they  expected  me  to  make  a  scene,  but  recognis- 
ing that  the  man  had  intended  wo  rudeness,  and  had  simply 
forgotten  himself,  I  bade  him  good-evening,  and  left  some 
of  our  friends  to  explain  to  him  that  he  must  be  less  forget- 
ful in  future. 


ill  ^ 


146         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

We  did  not  get  away  just  then,  as  there  were  others  who 
requested  a  visit,  so  we  entered  another  box,  where  we  re- 
ceived a  heart}^  welcome,  the  seats  of  honour,  and,  of  course, 
drinks.  We  hstened  to  the  mandolin-plaj-ing  of  one  of  the 
prettiest  girls  I  have  seen  for  an  age.  The  men  said  :  "  Yon 
should  encourage  such  a  person  as  that  ;  beautiful  as  she  is, 
she  is  about  the  onlj'  virtuous  girl  in  Dawson  ;  let  us  send 
for  her,  that  you  may  speak  a  few  kindly  words,  which  she 
will  greatly  appreciate.  Besides,  you  won't  have  seen  this 
show  nor  be  able  to  write  it  up  unless  you  have  an  interview 
with  Adele."  Adele  was  sent  for,  and  talked  and  behaved 
most  modestlj'  ;  but  when  the  drinks  arrived  she  made  a 
dash  for  the  chips  before  thej'  could  be  handed  to  us,  besides 
stealing  some  extra  ones  from  the  waiter,  who  begged  her  to 
return  them  so  that  he  would  not  be  obliged  to  make  them 
good  ;  but  this  thrifty  young  person  had  them  tightly  tied 
up  in  her  handkerchief  and  no  amount  of  persuasion  or 
argument  could  induce  her  to  return  one.  The  men  excused 
her  by  saying,  "  She  knows  that  you  only  want  to  show 
them  as  souvenirs  in  New  York,  and  one  is  sufficient  for  that, 
while  to  her  they  represent  so  much  cash." 

The  show  over,  the  benches  were  quicklj-  taken  out  and 
the  hall  cleared  for  a  dance.  We  remained  to  look  down 
upon  a  waltz  and  a  quadrille,  which  were  eminently  proper 
in  every  respect.  The  men  told  us  that  this  would  last  until 
five  or  six  in  the  morning  and  that,  notwithstanding  the 
drinks  which  would  follow  each  dance,  it  would  be  no  more 
noisy  at  the  termination  than  in  the  beginning  of  the  even- 
ing. We  had  instructed  Isaacs  to  wait  for  us  at  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company's  wharf,  but  saw  liim  among  the 
dancers.  Just  as  we  were  pointing  him  out,  so  that  one  of 
our  escorts  might  go  and  fetch  him,  "  Nigger  Jim  "  appeared 
and  said,  "  What  !  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  's  your  cook  ! 
Why,  he  's  the  grave -robber,"  and  then  told  us  such  blood- 
curdling stories  of  incidents  in  his  career  that  we  were  filled 
with  dread,  and  glad  when  we  reached  the  landing-place  tO' 
find  that  he  had  not  materialised,  also  delighted  to  accept 
the  oflfer  of  M and  R to  row  us  across  in  a  Peterboro'' 


Our  First  Dinner  in  Dawson  147 

canoe,  although  I  had  solemulj'  sworn  never  on  any  account 
to  put  foot  in  a  canoe.  Seated,  however,  in  the  very  bottom 
of  it  on  the  coats  of  the  men  who  rowed  us,  all  alarm  faded 
away,  even  when  we  were  in-  the  midst  of  the  powerful 
current. 

We  found  our  tent  almost  collapsed  from  wind  and  rain, 
but  it  is  always  easj-  to  find  a  dry  place,  owing  to  its  enor- 
mous size  ;  still,  it  is  aggravating  in  the  extreme  to  look  at 
the  Catholic  church  tent  opposite,  tight  as  a  drum  and  beau- 
tifully put  up,  and  compare  it  with  the  one  put  up  by  a  so- 
called  first-class  workman  at  fifteen  dollars  a  daj-.  The 
tent-maker  had  written  most  elaborate  and  detailed  in- 
structions, so  that  even  in  the  Yukon  he  might  be  proud  of 
his  work,  and  begged  us  to  have  it  so  well  arranged  as  to  do 
him  credit.  But  here  it  stands  waving,  swaying,  swelling, 
dropping  with  the  different  light  winds  which  take  it  in 
charge,  looking  a  most  slovenly  affair,  and  criticised  by 
people  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  We  have  been  in  it  a 
whole  week  now,  and  the  man  who  put  it  up,  though  sent  for 
many  times,  has  not  had  pride  enough,  or  a  sufficiently  keen 
sense  of  honour  to  come  to  our  rescue  ;  so  we  emptied  again 
the  jelly-bags  of  water  and  "  turned  in."  Just  as  we  had 
fallen  asleep,  we  heard  a  voice  outside  the  tent  saying, 
"  I  've  come  to  explain." — "  All  right,  Isaacs,  you  ma\-  ex- 
plain in  the  morning."—"  But  I  was  at  the  wharf  on  time 
only  to  find  that  someone  had  borrowed  our  boat  and  have 
been  searching  for  it  ever  since." — "  Very  well,  good-night  ; 
you  may  go  to  your  tent,  and  need  not  come  early  in  the 
morning,  as  it  is  now  very  late." — "  All  right,  mum,  good- 
night." There  were  so  many  slack  places  in  the  canvas 
around  and  above  us  that  the  air  came  in  on  all  sides  and 
we  nearly  froze  to  death,  although  we  were  covered  with  as 
many  wraps  as  we  could  bear  the  weight  of.  The  extremes 
are  very  great.  An  icy  coldness  during  the  night  and  in- 
tense heat  about  the  noon  hour,  so  powerful  are  the  raj's 
of  the  sun,  and  yet  we  are  told  that  one  never  takes  cold 
here. 


148         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Thursday,  August  4th. 

Nine  o'clock  and  no  Isaacs  ;  ten,  ditto  ;  at  half-past  ten  he 
made  his  appearance  and  when  he  found  us  alread}-  at  break- 
fast said,  "  Wh}-,  I  thought  j-ou  ladies  wanted  to  sleep  late, 
and  so  I  did  n't  dare  to  come  before."     Scarcely  had  we 

finished  when  Mrs.  B ■  and  Mr.  T came  to  spend  the 

morning,  and  laughed  most  heartily  over  our  experiences  of 

the  previous  evening.     Mrs.  B said,  "  That  is  just  such 

a  trip  as  I  ought  to  take  for  my  newspaper  work,  but,  being 
alone,  never  have  had  the  courage  to  do  so  ;  j-ou  must  let  me 
go  with  you  should  you  ever  do  the  town  again."  We  faith- 
full)'  promised,  although  not  expecting  to  repeat  the  expedi- 
tion ;  at  least,  not  more  than  once  before  our  departure,  and 
not  even  then,  unless  there  should  be  something  new  and 
particularlj'  worthy  of  record.  When  we  told  triumphantly 
about  the  checks  we  had  received  our  guests  looked  at  each 

other  and  Mr.  T said,  "  I  see  you  ladies  do  not  recog- 

ni.se  the  meaning  of  many  things,  and  treat  all  experiences 
in  this  part  of  the  world  as  a  huge  joke  ;  be  careful  that  this 
be  not  misinterpreted,  as  those  you  meet  may  not  understand 
you  as  we  do."  While  deeply  appreciating  this  kindly  ad- 
vice, we  felt,  however,  quite  certain  that  no  action  of  ours 
could  be  misinterpreted. 

As  Isaacs  left  the  tent  on  an  errand,  Mr.  T observed, 

"  You  did  not  get  your  man  Fridaj'  very  early  this  morning, 
and  might  have  had  him  an  hour  later  still,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  fact  that  when  I  heard  him  shout  from  his  tent  (which 
adjoins  mine),  at  eight  o'clock  to  know  the  time,  again  at 
nine,  and  again  at  ten,  each  time  rolling  over  for  another 
snooze,  I  called  out  to  one  of  my  neighbours,  "  I  hear  the 
ladies  in  the  big  tent  are  looking  for  another  conk."  There 
was  a  great  scrambling,  and,  instantly  after,  the  head  of 
your  major-domo  appeared,  saying,  '  What  's  that  about  the 
big   tent?'     'Oh,  nothing,'   I  carelessly  replied;    but  the 

effect  was  that  desired."     After  luncheon  M appeared. 

"  Well,  I  heard  about  you  last  night,"  said  he.  "  What  ?  " 
— "  Oh,  that  }'ou  were  invited  to  occupy  every  box  in 
the  Combination  Company."     Shortlj'  after  came  another 


150         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

guest,  saying,  "  What  a  sensation  j-ou  two  ladies  made  last 
night;  can't  help  it  if  you  were  behind  curtains  all  the  time. 
Every  nice  man  in  the  house  wanted  to  be  introduced,  as 
they  had  n't  seen  so  nuich  style  since  leaving  home  ten 
years  ago." 

After  dinner  M and  Dr.  C rowed  across  the  river 

to  spend  the  evening  with  us.  Reminiscences  of  Bar  Har- 
bour were  first  indulged  in,  and  Dr.  C asked  if  I  had  met 

his  mother  there  during  the  summer  of  1896  ?     He  knew  so 

many  of  our  friends,  and  M told  us  such  a  number  of 

interesting  tales  of  life  in  Alaska,  that  our  closing  hour, 
eleven  o'clock,  came  all  too  soon.  As  they  were  about  to 
leave,  the  pigeons  flocked  into  the  tent,  and  we  all  tried  to 

catch  them  and  get  them  out  to  the  cote.      M 's  face  fell, 

as  he  stood  guiltily  before  us  with  the  tail  of  a  pigeon  in  his 
hand.     "  How  could  I  help  it  ?  "  said  he  ;  "  she  flew  away 

from  her  tail."     In  the  afternoon  Mrs.  B took  us  to  the 

comfortable  little  cabin  which  the  "  boys  "  had  built  for  her, 
showed  us  most  interesting  souvenirs  of  her  voyages,  and 
read  us  from  the  Klondike  Nugget  the  description  of  her 
house-warming. 


CHAPTER   XVI 


WE   BECOME        FREE   MINERS" 

Friday,  August  5lh. 

AS  the  tent  flap  was  turned  back  this  morning  to  admit 
the  sunlight,  for  which  we  have  never  before  been 
sufficiently  grateful,  the  "  sick  boj'  "  appeared  to  renew  his 
thanks  for  our  kindness  and  to  return  the  dishes  and  steamer 
chair.  His  gratitude  was  so  much  greater  than  the  little  we 
had  been  able  to  do  for  him  warranted,  that  we  protested 
against  further  thanks,  made  him  rest,  and  tried  to  persuade 
him  not  to  row  over  to  town  until  his  health  was  fully  re- 
established ;  but  our  advice  was  as  useless  as  it  generally  is 
when  man  has  determined  upon  a  plan.  Immediately  after 
the  departure  of  John  Jones,  otherwise  the  "  sick  boy," 
Mr.  S arrived.  This  most  picturesque-looking  Vir- 
ginian, whom  Mrs.  B calls  with  a  smile,  "  too  lazy  for 

words,"  said  that  he  expected  to  go  on  a  stampede  in  the 
evening — a  real  one — not,  as  he  had  done  on  several  occa- 
sions, make  a  pretended  start,  with  such  hustle  and  bustle 
that  all  the  boys  in  town  followed  in  his  footsteps,  to  be  left 
in  the  lurch,  but  a  quiet,  secret  affair.  As  he  said  au  rcvoir, 
however,  he  remarked  that  he  might  back  out  at  the  last 
moment,  unless  he  got  fine  news  from  his  partner.  Au  In- 
dian next  appeared  in  the  doorway,  and  is  the  only  person 
whom  we  have  not  greeted  pleasantly  since  our  arrival  ;  but 
our  fear  of  the  tribe  is  so  great  that  we  sent  Ivan  to  lie  across 
the  doorway,  but  this  had  no  effect  upon  the  noble  red  man, 
who  continued  to  gaze  until  he  had  fully  satisfied  his 
curiosity. 

151 


152         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Then  came  from  across  the  river  Dr.  D -,  to  tell  us  that 

he  was  soon  to  leave  for  the  Koj'ukuk  ;  of  his  brilliant  pro- 
spects ;  the  congenial  society  in  the  partj-,  and  to  beg  us  to 
call  on  his  wife  on  our  return,  and  give  her  details  which  no 
letter  can  supplj'.  Another  visit  from  Mrs.  B ,  who  ex- 
pressed much  astonishment  that  we  should  have  been  in- 
ho.spitable  to  so  good  a  member  of  the  tribe  as  the  lydian 
who  had  recently  honoured  us.  She  told  us  of  the  country 
about  the  Tanana,  for  which  she  is  soon  to  depart,  where 
there  are  said  to  be  cannibals,  and  that  there  is  a  reward  of 
forty  thousand  dollars  for  anyone  who  penetrates  the  region, 
as  some  of  our  worst  criminals  are  in  hiding  there.  She  has 
been  offered  the  assistance  and  escort  of  the  marshal  or  police 
representatives,  but  considers  that  w'ould  be  but  an  impedi- 
ment, as  she  can  do  much  better  work  alone.  The  only 
thing  she  dreads  is  being  deserted  in  an  unknown  country 
by  her  guides,  but  she  added,  "  I  can  feel  instinctively  when 
they  are  afraid  to  go  farther,  and  when  there  is  no  doubt  of 
their  intention,  if  I  can  get  the  drop  on  them  first,  I  should 
not  hesitate  to  kill  them  and  feed  them  to  my  dogs."  We 
requested  her  to  tell  the  Doctor  of  her  trip  through  the 
rapids,  when  her  guide  shouted  to  her,  "  Paddle  for  your 
life;  there  's  only  a  sixteenth  of  an  inch  between  us  and 
h ." 

At  two  o'clock  Mrs.  B took  us  over  to  Dawson  to  pur- 
chase a  miner's  certificate.     Mr.  T very  kindly  placed 

himself  and  boat  at  our  disposal,  and  we  called  upon  Isaacs 
to  help  paddle  and  carry  our  parcels.  A  Peterboro'  canoe, 
which  I  had  vowed  never  to  enter,  now  seems  most  enjoy- 
able, although  I  do  not  dare  to  use  the  seats,  feeling  much 

safer  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat.     Dr.  C met  us  at  the 

landing  and  accompanied  us  to  interview  the  man  who 
put  up  the  tent.  He  seemed  horrified  to  know  of  all  the 
trouble  and  anxiety  we  had  undergone,  and  said  that  no 
me,ssage  had  ever  been  given  him  until  the  previous  day, 
when  he  had  inunediately  promised  to  rectifj'  the  matter  ; 
would  leave  his  work  then  and  there,  find  his  partner,  and 
attend  to  it,  even  should  it  take  all  night.     From  there  we 


We  Become  "Free  Miners"  153 

went  to  the  other  end  of  town,  where  we  took  out  a  miner's 
certificate  at  ten  dollars,  which  read  as  follows  : 

Date  of  issue.  No.  23, log. 

Dominion  of  Canada, 
Free  Miner's  Certificate 

Place  of  issue  Dawson.     Non-transferable.     Valid  for  one  year  only. 

This  is  to  certify  that  Mary  E.  Hitchcock  of  Dawson 
has  paid  me  this  day  the  sum  of  ten  dollars  and  is  entitled 
to  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  a  Free  Miner  under  any 
Mining  Regulations  of  the  Government  of  Canada  for  one 
year  from  the  5th  day  of  August,  1898.  This  certificate 
shall  also  grant  to  the  holder  thereof  the  privilege  of  Fishing 
and  Shooting,  subject  to  the  provisions  of  any  Act  which  has 
been  passed  or  which  may  hereafter  be  passed  for  the  pro- 
tection of  game  and  fish ;  also  the  privilege  of  cutting  Timber 
for  actual  necessities,  for  building  houses,  boats,  and  for  gen- 
eral mining  operations  ;  such  timber,  however,  to  be  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  the  miner  himself,  but  such  permission  shall 
not  extend  to  timber  which  may  have  been  heretofore,  or 
which  may  hereafter  be  granted  to  other  persons  or  corpor- 
ations. 

Countersigned,  Thomas  Fawcett. 

To  be  countersigned  by  the  Gold  Commissioner,  Mining 
Recorder,  or  by  an  Officer  or  Agent  of  the  Department  of  the 
Interior. 

Jas.  a.  Smart, 
Deputy  of  the  Minister  of  the  Interior. 

While  waiting  for  the  certificate  the  following  notice  pasted 
on  the  wall  attracted  our  attention  : 


154        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

MINING  RECORDER'S  OFFICE, 

Dawson,  June  i^ — gS 

Notice 

Know  all  mens  by  this  present.  ...  I  am  interested 
in  one  half  of  the  claim  No.  32  thirty-two  below  low  dis- 
covery on  Dominion. 

I  do  not  accept,  no  bargain,  no  compromission  of  my  half 
undivided  interest. 

Jose  Darole. 

Mrs.    B introduced   us   to   the  two  young  ladies  in 

the  office  of  the  commissioners,  who  told  us  how  much  we 
had  missed  by  not  attending  the  church  festival  of  the  pre- 
vious  evening.      Mr.  F ,  who  was  holding  court,  left 

long  enough  to  come  down-stairs  and  be  presented  to  us  as 
the  widow  of  Admiral  (  !)  H and  the  grandniece  of  Presi- 
dent Van  B .  The  interview  was  pleasant,  though  exceed- 
ing short,  as  the  court  was  waiting.     From  there  we  went  to 

the  office  of  Mr.  W ,  the  Crown  Timber  Agent,  as  Mrs. 

B thought  it  very  important  that  we  should  know  and 

be  properly  introduced  to  the  officials  before  starting  on  our 
claim  hunting.     Our  next  visit  was  to  our  Consul,  on  official 

business.     There  w'e  were  joined  by  Mr.   R and  Dr. 

D ,  and  the  Consul  opened  a  bottle  of  "  sherry,"  which 

we  had  to  drink  from  tin  cnps.  As  he  offered  me  water  for 
the  "  sheny,"  my  suspicions  were  aroused  and  I  tasted  it 
warily,  only  to  find  it  was  old  Bourbon,  which  I  politely  but 
firmly  declined. 

We  did  a  little  shopping  at  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany's warehouse,  which  is  headquarters  for  everyone  in 
town,  where  we  chatted  with  a  dozen  or  more  acquaintances. 
On  going  out  we  saw  the  utter  collapse  of  our  tent.     Dr. 

C at  once  offered  to  row  E across  the  Yukon,  Isaacs 

assisting,  while  I  went  on  with  Mrs.  B to  keep  an  ap- 
pointment with  one  of  the  Si.sters  at  the  hospital,  stopping  to 
inquire  for  the  mail,  which  arrived  yesterday,  (Thursday), 
hut  which  will  not  be  ready  for  di,stributiou  before  ^Monday  ! 
The  reception-room  of  the  hospital  is  the  most  comfortable, 


I 


We  Become  "  Free  Miners 


155 


-^^^f^ 


homelike  spot  yet  visited,   with  its  stove,   carpet,  curtains, 

desk,  and  rial  chairs.     Father greeted  us  most  cordialh-, 

and  sent  for  Sister  ,  who  had  been  at  vSt.  Josephs,   in 

Victoria,  B.  C,  and  who  gave  me  pleasant  news  from  the 
dear  Sisters  there. 

At  the  wharf  we 
found  Isaacs,  but  no 
boat ;  someone  had  bor- 
rowed it,  and  there  was 
none  for  us  to  hire. 
After  applying  to  a 
young  man  in  a  fine- 
looking  Peterboro'  and 
being  courteously  but 
decidedly  refused  on  the 
ground  that  the  boat 
belonged  to  an  official, 

Mrs.    B •    asked    as 

one  having  Masonic 
rights,  and  before  we 
had  time  to  breathe  the 
boat  was  ours.  On 
reaching  the  other  side, 
what  a  sight   met  our 


gaze 


!     I    felt 


INDIAN    WOMAN    OF    THE    KLONDIKE. 


who  had  been  evicted 
for  n  o  n  -  pa  y  m  e  n  t  of 
rent.  Our  tent  was 
flat  on  the  ground,  our 
furniture  and  house- 
hold goods,  books,  magazines,  music,  even  my  beloved 
diar}',  were  scattered  all  over  the  ground,  while  the  two  car- 
penters, aided  by  our  kindly  neighbours,  were  pulling  at  the 
tent,  ropes,  and  tackle  with  all  their  force.  Having  break- 
fasted at  ten  or  later,  we  had  gone  to  town  without  luncheon, 
consequently  were  in  a  starving  condition.  Our  neighbours 
invited  us  to  partake  of  their  hospitality,  but  as  each  one 
has  a  limited  supply  of  provisions,   we  felt  some  delicacy 


156         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

about  accepting,  and  said  that  our  tent  would  be  ready  in  a 

few  moments.     Mrs.  B proposed  that  while  waiting  we 

should  walk  over  to  Sheep  Camp  to  have  a  look  at  some  fur 
robes  which  were  offered  for  sale, — one  at  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, the  other  at  eightj'-five  dollars, — as  the  man  who  had 
them  was  "  going  out,"  and  had  never  used  them.  This 
necessitated  a  tramp  to  a  point  farther  than  I  had  ever  ex- 
plored on  our  "  island,"  along  the  edge  of  the  water.  We 
passed  dozens  of  tents  from  which  we  received  kindly  salu- 
tations, reached  the  small  chicken  farm,  and  beyond  that  a 
place  where  cattle  had  been  killed  ;  making  a  detour  we  ap- 
proached a  good-sized  pen  filled  with  sheep.  Still  on,  pas.s- 
ing  an  occasional  cabin,  until  we  entered  a  clearing  in  which 
were  comfortable  quarters. 

In  the  open  air,  at  a  rough  table,  partaking  of  their  even- 
ing meal,  sat  three  men  in  shirt-sleeves.  Thej-  rose  as  we 
approached  and  cordially  welcomed  Mrs.  B ,  who  intro- 
duced me  as  the  owner  of  the  big  tent,  a  globe-trotter  who 
had  been  many  times  around  the  world,  and  was  now  in 
search  of  new  experiences.  ' '  I  hardly  suppose  so  grand  a 
lady  would  condescend  to  take  supper  with  rough  butchers," 
said  the  spokesman  ;  "  but  it  would  be  a  great  pleasure." 
"  Condescend  !  why,  I  'm  simply  starving  ;  my  tent  'sdown, 
so  I  can  get  nothing  to  eat  for  an  hour  at  least,  and  if  you 
had  not  invited  me,  I  should  have  asked  myself,  or  have 
stolen  something  that  smells  so  good."  This  little  speech 
so  pleased  the  miners,  that  they  gave  me  the  best  seat  on  the 
bench.  One  helped  me  to  salmon,  another  to  bread,  and  the 
third  to  fried  potatoes  filled  with  onions,  and  though  the 
latter  have  always  been  avoided  by  me  they  were  now  eaten 
with  hearty  reli.sh,  and  never  was  a  meal  more  thoroughly 
enjoyed.  The  men  apologised  again  and  again  for  having 
no  butter,  and  offered  to  cook  us  a  bit  of  moose-steak  ;  they 
could  hardly  understand  that  we  preferred  finding  them  and 
their  meal  just  as  we  did.  We  asked  for  a  leg  of  mutton  and 
some  brains,  which  latter  cost  one  dollar  apiece,  but  they 
were  not  able  to  fill  our  order  until  next  week.  They  in- 
sisted, however,  on  our  taking  as  a  small  souvenir  a  package 


We  Become  "Free  Miners"  157 

of  sheep's  tongues  and  a  couple  of  brains  each.  Then  we 
asked  to  see  the  fur  robes,  but  the  lowest  price  for  me  was 
two  hundred  and  fift_v  dollars  for  the  two,  a  beautiful  h'nx 

robe  and  a  wolf  robe.     "  Whj-  should  j-ou  ask  Mrs.  B 

one  hundred  and  eighty-five  dollars  and  me  two  hundred  and 

fifty  dollars  ? ' '  queried  I.    ' '  We  told  Mrs.  B that  we  paid 

one  hundred  dollars  for  one  and  eighty-five  dollars  for  the 
other,  and  she  did  not  add  to  that  freight  at  twelve  cents  a 
pound,  and  the  profit  that  one  naturall}-  expects  from  such 
an  investment,"  said  the  honest  butcher.  "  I  can  sell  the 
lynx  to-morrow  for  two  hundred  dollars,  and  in  the  winter  it 
will  bring  three  hundred  dollars,  but  I  don't  care  to  keep 
and  bother  with  them,  as  I  'm  '  going  out.'  "  After  much 
argument,  as  he  was  unwilling  to  deduct  one  iota  from  his 

price,  he  agreed  to  bring  them  over  for  E 's  inspection, 

which  would  give  me  an  opportunity  for  consulting  the  fur 
experts  who  were  raising  our  tent.  On  our  return  our 
friends  carefull}'  examined  the  robes,  thought  one  particu- 
larly fine,  but  advised  us  to  see  first  what  we  could  do  in 
town,  so  my  friends  the  butchers  offered  to  leave  them  with 
us  until  we  had  tried  them  and  examined  others.  Now  I 
know  why  they  are  so  highly  recommended  for  use  here,  as 
never  have  I  had  anything  so  perfect  in  which  to  sleep  ;  no 
shivering,  no  ic)%  penetrating  wind,  no  fear  of  rheumatic 
pains.  To  roll  up  in  a  lynxskin  makes  the  couch  soft  and 
downy,  and  keeps  one  so  warm  and  "  comf}-, "  that  it  seems 
like  being  once  more  among  home  luxuries. 

10  P  ."».,  and  everyone  is  still  working  at  this  mammoth 

tent.     Our  neighbour,   Mrs.  T ,   insisted  upon  E 's 

sharing  her  supper  with  her,  and  invited  me  also  so 
cordially    that  to  accept  a  bit  of  nice  hot  buttered   toast 

was  the   least   I  could   do,   while    Mrs.    B ■   exclaimed, 

"  I  'm  jealous,  as  you  refused  to  dine  with  me."  The 
pigeons  are  causing  the  greatest  amount  of  trouble.  Al- 
though the  cote  is  filled  with  seed,  the  bag  of  grain  and 
water  on  top  of  their  boxes,  and  ever5'thing  arranged  to 
tempt  them,  nothing  will  induce  them  to  leave  the  tent  ; 
they  were  driven  out  of  it  only  to  reappear  on  the  top,  and 


158         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

there  lliej-  sat  clinging  to  the  ridge,  refusing  to  fly.  As  the 
tent  was  lifted  and  lowered,  thej-  were  off  one  moment  to  be 
back  the  next,  and,  finally,  as  it  was  gradually  tightened 
into  place,  and  someone  stood  at  the  door  to  keep  them  away 
while  the  furniture  was  being  brought  in,  down  the}^  came 
through  the  small  hole  through  which  the  poles  pass,  light- 
ing ou  everything — beds,  blankets,  music-box,  even  on  the 
stove.  A  few  were  caught  and  held  prisoners  in  the  cote  by 
a  curtain  which  was  tacked  up,  but  the  others  fought  hard 
to  remain,  and  remain  thej'  did,  much  to  our  disgust,  as  they 
are  now  so  tame  that  they  light  on  the  bed  in  the  morning 
to  beg  for  food. 

Such  a  scene  of  destruction  ! — the  shelves  down,  kitchen 
utensils  on  the  ground,  ribbons,  ties,  toilet-articles,  no  end 
of  small  things  trampled  under  foot,  and  our  beautiful  tent 
badly  torn  in  two  places  !  To  say  that  we  were  discouraged 
puts  it  very  mildly,  particularly  after  being  told  that  to  make 
the  tent  perfect,  and  so  that  it  would  not  leak,  we  should  be 
obliged  to  purchase,  or  have  made,  tackle  and  rings,  and  have 
the  entire  thing  dropped  again  with  the  same  moving  out  of 
furniture.  As  we  expect  to  "  go  out  "  in  about  three  weeks, 
we  decided  to  accept  the  situation  and  get  along  as  best  we 
can.  Some  of  our  hard-working  assistants  remained  to  par- 
take of  a  little  beef-soup,  a  bit  of  salmon,  some  potatoes,  and 

cake. 

Saturday,  August  6th. 

Trying  to  make  order  out  of  havoc  is  an  unpleasant  task 
with  the  mercury  at  80°,  but  we  close  tightly  our  tent  flap, 
so  that  those  whom  we  should  otherwise  be  glad  to  see  may 
think  us  still  in  the  arms  of  Morpheus,  and  work  with  a  will. 
Isaacs,  busily  engaged  in  once  more  putting  up  kitchen 
shelves  and  utensils,  looks  for  newspapers  with  which  to  cover 
them.  Holding  out  one  he  asks,  "  'Ave  you  read  this, 
mum?"  and  then  exclaims,  "  'Oly  Moses,  May  30th  !  'ave 
you  been  on  the  road  ever  since  then  ?  Well  "  (sympatheti- 
cally), "  I  .should  think  you  icoiild  be  tired."  "  May  we 
come  in  ?  "  said  the  voice  of  John  Jones,  "  I  want  to  make 
you  acquainted  with  Mr.  M ,"  and  one  of  the  great  men 


i6o         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

of  the  Klondike  entered,  was  made  welcome,  and  remained 
for  an  hour  or  more,  telling  stories  so  interesting  that  we 
deeply  regretted  when  it  was  time  for  him  to  take  his  de- 
parture.    John  Jones  said,  "  I  was  tellin'  Mr.  M as  how 

you  ladies  was  so  very  kind  to  me  whiles  I  was  ill,  and  as  how 
you  wanted  to  see  a  '  clean-up,'  and  pan  some  gold  your- 
self ;  so  he  is  going  Monday  to  one  of  his  mines  and  has  come 
to  invite  you  to  go  with  him." — "  Just  what  we  've  longed 
to  do,  but  we  never  expected  to  have  so  fine  an  opportunitj-. 
Please  explain  the  road,  however,  so  that  we  may  judge 
whether  we  are  capable  of  such  an  undertaking. ' ' 

"  Mj^  plan   is  to  start   Mondaj'  between  noon   and   four 

o'clock,"  said  M ,  "  go  over  the  trail  two  miles  to  the 

ferry,  cross  the  Klondike  River,  and  land  at  the  mouth  of 

Bonanza  ;  there  Miss  V may  take  a  horse,  and  if  you  can 

walk  three  miles  an  hour  that  will  be  a  sufficiently  rapid 
gait  ;  after  twelve  miles  we  reach  the  Grand  Forks  Hotel, 
Bonanza.  You  will  find  it  very  rough  ;  the  men  are  only 
screened  off  from  the  ladies,  but  j-ou  can  rest  assured  that 
every  man  would  defend  you  with  his  life  in  case  of  need." 
"  Oh,  I  intend  to  take  my  tent  along  for  the  ladies,"  said 
John,  "  it 's  just  big  enough  for  the  two  of  them  and  they  '11 
be  much  more  comfortable  than  shut  in  with  us  men. "    "  The 

next  morning,"  continued  M ,  "  we  '11  take  a  short  walk 

before  breakfast  down  to  some  mines  very  near  there  and  see 
a  clean-up,  and  you  can  pan  out  your  first  gold  ;  later  in  the 

day  we  '11  go  to  B 's  clean-up,  from  there  to  my  claim  at 

El  Dorado,  only  three  miles  ;  then  to  another  claim  of  mine 
at  El  Dorado,  which  yields  pretty  good-sized  nuggets.  You 
know  ten  claims  make  a  mile,  so  you  can  easily  tell  how 
much  you  will  have  to  walk  there  ;  there  are  some  bench 
claims  near  that  have  not  been  located,  so  that  you  and  ]\Iiss 

V can  stake  them   (now  that  you  have  your  miner's 

licence),  and  return  to  the  Forks  that  night,  unless  you  care 
to  go  on  and  stake  on  Dominion  and  Sulphur."  We  were 
filled  with  delight  and  excitement  at  the  prospect,  particu- 
larly as  the  rain  had  prevented  us  from  going  on  the  first 
stampede,   not  that  we  minded  the  rain,  but  it  made  the 


We  Become  "Free  Miners"  i6i 

ground  in  such  a  condition  that told  us  his  horse  sank 

to  its  neck  in  mud. 

On  E 's  return  from  Dawson  she  said  that  someone 

had  told  her  he  had  seen  manj-  letters  for  us,  but  that  it 
■would  be  impossible  to  get  them  for  several  daj-s,  as  we  must 

wait  until  everj'thing  had  been  sorted.     Mr.  T made 

lis  a  short  visit  to  inquire  if  our  tent  were  in  a  satisfactory 

■condition  ;  then  came  Mr.  J ,  bringing  us  a  wood-stove, 

saying  that  we  reallj'  ought  to  have  it,  even  if  we  were 
obliged  to  cut  a  hole  in  the  tent  for  a  stove-pipe. 

"  Well,  how  's  the  tent  to-day  ?  "  called  out  the  man  who 
was  doing  his  best  to  make  a  bad  job  good.  "  Me  and  my 
partner  came  over  to  give  it  another  stretch."     "  Wh}-,  I 

saw  you  going  over  the  Rapids,"  said  Mrs.  B to  the 

partner  ;  "  how  soon  did  you  get  over?  "  "  Oh,  I  had  a 
hard  time  and  many  experiences,"  replied  he.  "  The  first 
night,  as  I  was  tramping  an'  it  was  kinder  dark,  a  man  riz  up 
from  behind  a  pile  o'  logs  and  had  the  drop  on  me,  but,  after 
he  'd  talked  with  me  and  found  out  how  honest  I  was,  he 
put  down  his  gun  and  tole  me  he  was  a-layin'  for  a  man 
what  had  broken  into  three  diflferent  caches  and  stole  a  lot  o' 
stuff",  an'  says  he,  '  I  'd  give  twenty-five  dollars  to  get  the 
stuff"  back,  an'  another  twenty-five  on  top  o'  that  to  get  a 
licence  to  shoot  him,  an'  as  I  can't  get  it  I  'm  goin'  to  shoot 
him  anyhow.'  Yes,  viarm,  I  'm  a  Canadian,  an'  I  ain't 
proud  of  it  when  I  sees  the  taxes  for  ever}'  durned  thing 
the_v  're  a-puttin'  on  poor  miners  what  works  for  a  livin'  in 
a  countrj-  very  few  of  the  officials  would  go  to,  and  risk  git- 
tin'  frozen  feet,  legs,  and  arras,  or  being  frozen  to  death  ; 
then  I  tell  you,  marm,  I  'm  ashamed  o'  bein'  a  Canadian, 
but  I  must  get  on  with  my  job.  Ladies,  we  're  a-goin'  to 
keep  this  tent  tight  if  we  have  to  stretch  it  every  night  in 
the  week,  an'  it  sha'n't  cost  j-ou  a  penny  besides  theoriginal 
price  agreed  upon,  cause  we  want  it  right,  an'  it  would  'a' 
been  right  if  that  there  secretary,  or  whatever  he  is,  of  yours 
had  given  us  the  instructions  an'  told  us  to  go  b}'  them,  just 
as  you  wanted  us  to  do  ;  but  now  he  's  lost  the  instructions 
and  we  've  got  to  do  the  best  we  can." 


i62         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Ivan  and  I  went  for  a  short  walk  on  "  our  island  "  after  a 
nine  o'clock  dinner.  The  first  thing  which  attracted  my 
attention  was  a  notice  tacked  on  the  dove-cote  that  had  been 
placed  there  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  D : 

"  Presbyterian  Church. 

"  Sunday  service  in  the  large  tent  at  ii  a.m. 

"  Everyone  cordiall}'  invited." 

Our  walk  was  a  short  one.  As  we  reached  the  springs 
which  prevented  me  from  crossing,  and  which  is  the  bound- 
ary line,  Mr.  T called  out,  "  Were  you  looking  for  me  ? 

This  is  my  tent,  the  first  one  on  this  side  of  the  spring.  All 
right,  if  I  can  be  of  no  service  to  you  I  '11  go  in  and  cook  my 
supper."  Two  miners  hailed  me  from  another  tent  with, 
"  Excuse  me,  marm,  but  must  v\'e  dress  up  to  come 
to  church  to-morrow  ?  If  so,  we  shall  not  be  able  to  at- 
tend service,  'cause  our  dress  suits  are  in  our  other  trunk." 
We  all  laughed  at  the  joke,  as  few  have  trunks,  and  they 
seemed  relieved  to  hear,  "  We  are  all  to  attend  in  our  jerseys 

— no  boiled  shirts  or  collars."     Mrs.  T then  came  to  the 

door  of  her  tent  saying,  "  I  hear  you  are  going  with  M 

and  Jones  to  locate  claims  and  see  some  clean-ups  ;   the)^ 

took  Mrs.  H and  me  last  time  ;  it  is  the  most  wonderful 

experience  imaginable,  and  we  enjoyed  it  so  much  that  I  'm 
wild  to  go  again.  People  at  home  could  never  understand 
the  wonders  of  it." 

Just  then  we  were  joined  by  Mr.  O ,  who  presented  a 

Mr.  H ,  and  another  Klondike  millionaire  stood  before 

us,  with  a  dazzling  diamond  on  his  shirt-front,  and  another 
of  enormous  size  on  his  finger.     After  a  few  moments'  chat, 

Mrs.  B called  out  that  she  was  coming  to  pay  us  another 

visit,  and  so  I  returned.  "  It 's  a  pity  to  bore  3-ou  so  often," 
said  she,  "  but  I  feel  so  lonely  and  homesick  to-day  that  I 
can't  sta}'  by  myself,  and  thought  perhaps  you  'd  give  me  a 
little  music.  Seeing  j'ou  and  talking  of  home  has  quite  un- 
nerved me.  I  don't  mind  when  I  'm  among  the  Apaches — 
then   I   enjoy  their    wild   life,   and   forget    homesickness." 


We  Become  Free  Miners  163 

"May  we  come  in?"  said  Mr.  O ,  entering  with  Mr. 

H ,  the  Dane.     "  You  are  just  in  time  to  help  us  select 

the  airs  to  be  played  for  church  servnce  to-morrow.  It  is  too 
dark  to  read  this  fine  writing,  so  we  must  trj'  them  all.  The 
committee  listened,   selecting    The  Lost  Chords   Nearer  My 

God  to  Thee,  and  Portuguese  Hymn,  but  Mr.  H was  ruled 

out  as  he  pleaded  for  Strauss's  i?/«f  Danicbe.  He  told  us  that 
he  left  Denmark  man}-  years  ago  and  never  has  had  a  home- 
sick day  ;    but  he  expects  to  "go  out"  this  year.     After 

they  left,  Mrs.  B remained  until  midnight,  and  as  the 

moon's  rays  came  through  the  open  door  of  the  tent  and 
we  listened  to  her  thrilling  experiences,  time  was  forgotten, 
also  the  cold  chills  of  night,  as  we  wondered  at  the  daring 
courage  of  one  lone  woman. 

I  forgot  to  say  that  early  in  the  evening  one  of  my  butcher 
friends  arrived  bringing  me  a  small  leg  of  mutton,  for  which 
he  asked  the  modest  sum  of  eight  dollars.  This  is  probably 
not  very  high  for  Klondike  prices.  On  seeing  a  mirror  he 
exclaimed,  "  Oh,  do  let  me  look  in  that.  I  have  n't  seen  one 
for  years."  After  a  long  glance,  he  said  with  a  sigh,  "  As 
ugly  as  ever  !  My  own  wife  would  n't  know  me  with  this 
beard." 

Sunday,  Ausjust  yth. 

When  Isaacs  arrived  this  morning,  he  brought  us  the  news 
that  man}-  of  the  "  boys  "  wanted  to  come  to  service  but  did 
not  dare — lest  they  should  meet  some  of  our  "  city  friends  " 
in  store  clothes,  so  we  instructed  him  to  make  the  rounds 
and  say  that  all  had  been  requested  to  wear  jerseys,  women 
as  well  as  men.  Shortly  after  we  heard,  to  our  horror,  the 
loud  ringing  of  a  cow-bell,  and  a  voice  crying  "  Church, 
church — no  collection  and  no  dress-up.  Mind  and  don't  be 
late  ;  service  in  half  an  hour.  No  collection."  It  was  too 
late  to  stop  our  zealous  assistant,  who  returned  with  the  bell 
behind  his  back  and  slipped  in  the  back  door.  We  threw 
our  shawls  and  robes  on  the  grass,  and  placed  the  three 
steamer-chairs,  some  empty  boxes,  and  a  few  benches  made 
by  our  Jack-of-all-trades.     The  British  and  American  flags 


164         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

were  draped  back  of  the  pulpit,  which  consisted  of  a  pine 
table  and  a  bench  made  from  a  box.  This  was  decorated 
with  some  \-ards  of  mosquito-netting  loaned  by  a  neighbour. 

We  placed  a  Bible  on  the  stand  and  Mrs.  B- supplied  a  big 

tin  basin  of  flowers.  Facing  the  pulpit  we  had  an  old  screen 
and,  as  that  was  not  large  enough  to  hide  the  kitchen  and 
sleeping  apartments  from  view,  Isaacs  strung  a  rope  across 
on  which  we  draped  thirty  yards  of  cheese-cloth  which  we 
had  brought  for  other  purposes.  To  this  drapery  we  pinned 
pictures  of  Dewey,  Sampson,  Sigsbee,  and  General  Lee;  also 
photographs  of  dear  ones  at  home. 

First  came  the  Rev.  Dr.  D ,  with  two  men  and  a  large 

package  of  hymn-books.  Then  the  miners,  many  with  noble 
faces,  began  to  arrive,  throwing  themselves  about  on  the 

grass  in  all-unconscious  picturesqueness.     Mrs.  T and 

Mrs.  B were  the  only  other  women  present  at  the  open- 
ing, which  was  as  solemn  as  it  could  have  been  in  the 
grandest  church  in  the  land.  My  seat  was  a  box  placed 
close  to  the  screen  so  that  I  could  slip  behind  and  start  the 
music  at  a  sign  from  the  clergyman.  We  began  with  the 
orchestral  cylinder  Prayer  from  Moses.  The  entire  service 
was  most  inspiring,  and  the  sermon  good  and  earnest.  As 
the  clergyman,  who  evidently  put  all  his  heart  and  soul 
into  his  work,  spoke  of  being  "  Nearer  my  God  to  Thee," 
the  orchestra's  solemn  strains  were  heard  and  after  that  the 
hymn  was  taken  up  by  the  chorus  of  miners  and  those  who 

had  come  late — Mr.  and  Mrs.  C and  Miss  C ,  Mr. 

and  Mrs.  D ,   Mr.  M- ,   Mr.  R ,  and  Dr.  C , 

who  had  all  rowed  across  from  Dawson.  As  they  sang,  the 
miners,  who  had  not  the  courage  to  enter,  stood  outside  the 
door  with  bowed  heads.  Only  one  unfortunate  mistake  oc- 
curred ;  as  Dr.  D was  reading  a  chapter  about  Joseph 

and  his  coat  of  many  colours,  a  pigeon  perched  on  the  music- 
box  of  the  Criterion  and  started  once  more  Nearer  my  God  to 
Thee.  There  was  no  stopping  the  hymn  until  the  end,  but 
there  was  not  a  smile,  and  it  was  listened  to  with  as  dignified 
attention  as  though  it  had  occurred  in  the  right  place.  At 
the  close,  Dr.  D spoke  of  the  ladies  who  had  so  kindly 


We  Become  Free  Miners  165 

loaned  their  tent,  and  said  that  he  would  be  more  than  glad 
to  officiate  regularly  in  case  they  would  extend  the  same 
hospitality  in  future.  Those  who  would  attend  were  asked 
to  raise  their  hands,  and  all  hands  were  immediatel}'  high  in 
air.  After  the  service,  one  of  the  miners  said  to  me,  "  Beg 
your  p.irdon,  madam,  but  by  what  mission  are  you  sent  out  ?  ' ' 

Mr.   O remained  to  lunch,  and  then   rowed  E 

over  to  town.      "  I  see  no  bell  ;  is  anyone  at  home  ?  "  asked 

Mr.  S ,  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  as  he  handed 

out  a  budget  of  letters  from  home.  "  Was  at  the  Post-office, 
saw  these,  and  asked  if  I  might  take  them  out,  as  otherwise 
you  would  not  have  had  them  for  several  days. ' '  We  ap- 
preciated his  kindness  all  the  more  when  we  discovered  that 
he  had  been  obliged  to  hire  a  boat  in  order  to  render  us  this 
service. 

We  gave  our  first  dinner,  and  this  is  what  we  read  of  it  in 
i\\Q  Klondike  Ntiggci,  almost  before  the  entertainment  came 
to  an  end. 

A  DINNER   TO  THE   CONSUL-GENERAL 

"  Mrs.  A  dill!  ml  {\)  H and  Miss  V ,  the  two  dis- 
tinguished ladies  who  are  '  taking  in  '  the  Klondike  just  as 
they  have  taken  in  Paris  and  London,  gave  a  select  dinner 

in  honour  of  the  United  States  Consul-General  M ,  now 

stationed  at  Dawson.  The  ladies  are  in  camp  over  at  Daw- 
son, and  the  dinner  was  given  in  what  was  probably  the 
largest  tent  canvas  in  the  Klondike.     The  gentlemen  invited 

to  the  affair  were  Dr.  D ,  Messrs.  A ,  M ,  W , 

and  R .     Mrs.  B ,  the  popular  scientific  lady  stationed 

for  the  winter  at  West  Dawson,  aided  the  two  hostesses  in 
entertaining  the  guests  of  the  evening.  The  ladies  carry 
their  own  chef  and  the  repast  was  much  enjoyed.     After 

dinner  the  party  adjourned  to  the  new  cabin  of  Mrs.  B , 

and  it  was  there  that  the  late  reports  from  the  scene  of  war 
were  received.  The  partj^  immediately  devoted  themselves 
to  adoration  of '  Old  Glory,'  and  the  cheers  were  enough  to 
alarm  that  peaceful  neighbourhood." 


i66         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Under  ordinary  circumstances  it  would  be  bad  form  for  a 
hostess  to  give  her  menu  or  to  refer  to  the  food  presented  to 
guests,  but  I  reall\'  must  state  how  well  we  lived  in  that 
corner  of  the  world  where  so  many  are  supposed  to  be 
starving. 

1st.  Anchovy  on  soda -biscuit. 

2nd.  Mock-turtle  soup. 

3rd.  Roast  moose  and  potato-balls. 

4th.  Escalloped  tomatoes,  prepared  so  deliciously  by  E 

that  each  one  asked  for  a  second  helping. 

5th.  Asparagus  salad,  for  which  I  made  the  French 
dressing. 

6th.  Peach  ice-cream,  and  "  tho'  I  do  say  it  as  should  n't," 
for  I  made  it,  it  was  so  good  that  all  were  helped  twice  and 
some  thrice. 

7th.  A  very  delicious  cake  made  by  Isaacs. 

8th.   E 's  French  drip  coffee — and  all  washed  down  by 

sparkling   Moselle.      After   dinner  we   adjourned   to   Mrs. 

B 's  cabin,  where  we  sat  on  her  home-made  divan,  on 

benches,  and  on  fiour-bags,  and  told  stories  until  nearly 
midnight. 


li^msm 


CUiifi^ 


CHAPTER   XVII 

VISITING   MINES    WITH    A    KLONDIKE    KING 

Monday,  August  Sth. 

JOHN  JONES  came  after  breakfast  to  tell  us  what  to 
pack.  After  he  had  taken  his  departure,  Isaacs  said, 
"  I  hope  you  're  going  to  take  me  with  j-ou,  marm,  to  do 
the  cooking  and  for  to  carry  the  pack,  as  I  don't  think 
you  '11  care  for  what  you  '11  get  to  eat  along  the  trail,  and  I 
can  carry  from  sixty  to  a  hundred  pounds.     Besides,  I  'd 

like  to  stake  some  claims,  too,  for  when  A M tells 

you  where  to  stake,  you  're  sure  to  make  your  pile.  That 's 
a  mighty  fine  man  for  you  to  know.  He  's  got  fifty  millions, 
and  knows  more  about  mining  than  any  man  in  this  country. 
I  've  known  him  all  my  life  just  as  well  as  I  've  known  that 

parson  that  Mrs.  B brought  to  call  on  you  ;  and  yet  I 

can't  go  up  and  speak  to  them  because  you  ladies  seem  to 
think  that  I  ought  to  stay  in  the  kitchen  instead  o'  coming 
in  and  talking  to  the  visitors  that  I  know.  Holj'  Moses  ! 
you  don't  realise  how  embarrassing  it  is  for  me  only  to  be 
able  to  .speak  to  them  on  '  the  outside.'  You  see  as  'ow 
I  've  never  done  anything  menial  before,  and  don't  quite 
hunderstand  what  's  expected  of  me,  and  what  's  not,  and 
when  Isaacs  sees  these  neighbours  o'  yours  as  'e  's  known 
all  'is  life  a-sittin'  in  your  easy  chairs  an'  a-playin'  the 
grand  gentlemen,  an'  'e  who  's  as  good  as  they,  an'  perhaps 
better,  a-standin'  hout  be'ind  the  kitchen  stove,  while 
they  're  a-puttin'  on  hairs  in  the  parlor — well  !  't  ain't 
natural,  and  it  's  enough  to  drive  any  fellow  mad  !  Now 
don't  you  bother  about  putting  things  to  rights,  and  pre- 

167 


1 68         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

paring  anything  else  for  this  hexcursion  ;  it  '11  give  me 
pleasure  if  you  '11  just  sit  down  and  go  on  with  your  writin' 
an'  leave  everything  to  me,  an'  not  look  up  for  'alf  an  hour, 
an'  then  you  '11  be  surprised  to  find  out  what  an  'andy 
fellow  Isaacs  is,  an'  Isaacs  won't  interrupt  you  again,  be- 
cause 'e  knows  you  don't  like  to  'ear  conversation  when 
you  're  a-writin'."  Five  minutes  later.  "  I  often  thinks 
that  there  's  a  great  deal  in  inheritance,"  continued  the 
irrepressible.  "  Now  me  mother  was  verj'  tasty,  an'  me 
father  was  an  R.A.,  that  means  member  o'  the  Royal 
Hacademy,  an'  as  for  me,  why  I  just  rose  from  shop-boy 
to  window-dresser  because  I  had  so  much  taste,"  and  Isaacs 
fastened  a  picture  here  and  put  a  decoration  there  on  the 
screens  about  the  tent.  "  Yer  like  to  lost  me  yesterday. 
Missus  ;  yer  see,  while  I  was  on  the  other  side,  in  Dawson, 
I  sees  an  Indian  in  'is  birch  canoe,  so  says  I  to  myself,  '  Now 
Isaacs,  'ere  's  your  chance  ;  yer  likely  to  get  in  a  tight 
place  some  o'  these  days,  when  yer  '11  want  ter  know  'ow  to 
manage  a  birch-bark  canoe  ;  because  it  's  like  riding  a 
bicycle,  j^er  know,  marm,  it  do  take  a  long  while  to  learn 
how  to  balance  yourself,  so  I  got  the  Hindian  to  let  me  try 
it,  and,  by  Jove!  I  did  it  without  any  trouble  or  helse  you 
would  n't  'a'  'ad  the  good  fortune  to  'a'  got  your  Hisaacs 
back.'" 

We  lunched  hurriedly,  after  which  the  neighbours  came 
to  inquire  what  they  could  do  for  our  pets  during  our  ab- 
sence.    Mrs.  T kindly  offered  to  care  for  them,  and  to 

take  charge  of  the  tent.  Jones  had  a  boat  in  waiting  at  the 
foot  of  the  bank.  Isaacs  carried  the  pack,  consisting  of  fur 
robes,  blankets,  flannel  wrappers,  and  toilet  articles.  We 
were  soon  across  the  Yukon,  where  we  were  met  by  "  Big 

A ."      E went  to  purchase  a  cowboy  hat  for  the 

trip,  and  Isaacs  a  harness  for  his  back,  so  we  appointed  the 
usual  place  of  rendezvous,  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany's stores,  from  which  point  we  were  to  be  ready  for  the 
start  in  half  an  hour.     Many  of  our  friends  were  there  to 

help  E on  to  the  horse  and  to  see  the  start.     ' '  No  horse 

for  me,"   said    I  ;  "  walking  is  far  more  enjoyable."      So 


I70 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


E rode  alone  in  her  glon-,  while  M ,  Jones,  and  I 

tramped  by  the  side  of  the  horse  when  the  road  was  suffi- 
ciently wide,  or  single  file,  with  Isaacs  in  harness  bringing 
up  the  rear.  At  first,  it  was  a  gradual  ascent  on  a  good 
road  ;  we  were  soon  high  on  the  hills  back  of  Dawson,  and 
were  astonished  to  see  so  many  log  houses,  while  many  more 
were  being  built.     After  a  long  tramp,  we  reached  a  bridge 


CROSSING    THE    FERRY. 

of  logs.     E 's  horse  forded  the  stream,   while  I  clung 

tightly  to  the  hands  of  M and  Jones,  who  assisted  me  in 

maintaining  my  balance,  as  the  logs  threatened  to  turn  at 
each  step.     Then  we  paid  one  dollar  each  to  cross  in  a  scow 

on  which  even  E 's  horse  was  carried.     We  stopped  a 

moment  on  reaching  the  other  side  to  photograph  a  tavern, 
and  were  then  off  on  a  corduroy  road  which  the  miners  had 
made,  winding  round  beautiful  mountains,  looking  down 
upon  gorgeous  scenery,  over  stones,  through  springy  moss, 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King     171 

then  over  more  log-  bridges,  deep  bogs,  precipices,  until  we 
reached  Half-way  House,  eight  miles,  where  we  had  supper 
of  roast  moose,  mashed  potatoes,  corn,  cabbage,  delicious 
bread  and  butter,  Spanish  and  apple-pie. 

The  meal  finished,  Mr.  A ,  of  Chicago,  and  Mr. 

were  presented  to  us.  They  were  also  on  their  way  to  stake 
claims,  but  concluded  that  they  had  done  enough  for  one 
day  and  so  pitched  their  tents.  How  proud  we  were  to  be 
able  to  outdo  them  as  we  continued  our  tramp.  We  next 
met  a  Mr.  C — — ,  who  had  just  found  some  rich  ground 
while  prospecting,  and  told  us  where  to  stake  ;  lie  also 
showed  us  a  large  piece  of  rock  filled  with  gold,  which  he 
had  taken  from  a  mine  near  the  Forks,  and  from  which  the 
owners  were  getting  a  thousand  dollars  a  day,  but  being 
"  Chee  Charkers  "  (newcomers)  and  homesick,  they  wanted 
to  "  go  out  "  and  would  sell  for  thirteen  thousand  dollars. 
He  had  n't  the  money,  but  if  anyone  would  "  put  it  up  " 
and  let  him  take  charge,  he  was  sure  that  he  could  soon  dig 
out  a  fortune  for  "  all  hands."  A  man  from  Illinois  next 
joined  us  on  the  trail  ;  said  he  was  working  for  wages,  but 
had  had  time  to  do  some  prospecting  and  to  stake  out  a 
number  of  claims  for  himself — some  of  them  very  rich — but 
he  found  it  impossible  to  get  into  the  Recorder's  ofiice  to 
record  them.     He  offered  a  third  in  each  to  anyone  who 

could  have  it  done  for  him.     While  E ,  on  horseback, 

and  M bj'  her  side,  were  following  the  horse-trail,  our 

Illinois  man  said  that  he  could  conduct  us  through  high  dry 
ground  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Once  there,  he  said 
that  he  should  like  to  tramp  with  us,  as  it  did  him  so  much 
good  "  to  hear  the  sound  of  a  lady's  voice." 

At  last  came  the  "  yodel,"  which  meant  that  someone  in 
our  party  was  exhausted  and  wanted  to  pitch  tent  for  the 
night.  We  joined  forces  at  Gordon's  Camp,  where  we  were 
surrounded   by   tents.      While   Isaacs  was  pitching   ours, 

M took  us  to  the  cabin  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  to  pay  a 

short  visit.  Their  quarters  were  nice  and  comfortable,  and 
even  the  baby  had  a  modern  cradle  into  which  we  peeped, 
but,  as  it  was  late,  we  bade  them  good-night  the  moment 


172 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Isaacs  announced  that  all  preparations  had  been  made  for  us. 
Pine  boughs  had  been  spread  on  the  ground,  and  our  robes 

and  blankets  over  them.      After  crawling  in,   M and 

Jones  lighted  a  bonfire  at  our  door,  and  then  sought  the 
cabin  in  which  they  had  been  offered  bunks. 

No  fear  felt  we,  though  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  un- 
known men.  One  has  but  to  know  the  honest  miner  to 
recognise  that  he  is  ever  ready  to  assist  woman,  and  that  sad 


OUR    TENT    ON    THE    TRAIL. 

would  be  the  fate  and  speedy  the  death  of  one  who  should 
offer  her  an  insult.  As  the  bonfire  died  out,  we  watched 
the  new  niooti  rising  over  the  mountains  opposite,  and  light- 
ing the  valley  below,  and  felt  that  the  wonderful  and  beauti- 
ful works  of  the  dear  Lord  are  everywhere  present. 

Tuesday,  August  gtb. 
My  ears  were  greeted  on  awakening  with,  "  Flour  's  gone 
to  hell  !     What  fool  tied  this  horse  up  here  !     We  '11  make 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King     1 7o 

M give  us  another  bag,"  and  then  came  the  folding  of 

tents,  the  tramping  of  men  and  the  departure  of  the  pro- 
spectors for  another  day's  work  towards  fortune  or  disap- 
pointment.     As  we   continued  our   tramp,    E 's   horse 

floundered  and  stumbled  so  in  the  mire  and  over  the  rocks 
that,  after  several  hairbreadth  escapes  she  also  concluded  to 
walk  ;  so  Isaacs  was  relieved  of  his  pack  and  the  horse  re- 
ceived the  burden.  At  lo  a.m.  we  reached  a  restaurant  at 
the  forks  of  the  road.  We  four  sat  on  a  bench  and,  with 
Isaacs  at  our  feet,  devoured  bread  and  butter  and  coffee. 
When  the  irrepressible  said,  "  Had  no  time  to  wash  my  face  ; 
is  it  dirty?"  he  was  snubbed,  if  he  could  have  been,  b}- 
hearing,  "  No  time  to  look  at  it."  Another  long  tramp  over 
rolling  stones,  mossy  grounds,  narrow  ledges  on  the  edge  of 
a  precipice  from  which  a  tiny  rolling  stone  would  have  pre- 
cipitated us  to  instant  destruction,  but  the  unvarying  kind- 
ness and  assistance  of  M and  Jones  made  us  repress  all 

signs  of  fear  for  very  shame.  We  came  to  sluice-boxes  with 
signs  prohibiting  people  to  walk  therein,  but  the  owners  of 
which  invariably  gave  us  the  desired  permission,  which  we 
enjoyed  until  we  reached  Bonanza,  where  we  "  panned  out  " 
and  shouted  with  joy  as  the  stones  and  gravel  disappeared 
and  we  saw  the  rich  gold  gathering  in  the  bottom. 

We  were  promised  another  pan  on  our  return,  so,  as  the 
miners  were  just  about  to  blast,  we  went  on  to  Skookum 

Creek,  in  which  M had  also  a  half-interest.     Here  we 

were  filled  with  excitement  and  joy  as  our  pans  came  to 
seven  and  ten  dollars  each,  and  we  picked  up  a  few  nuggets 
besides.  Then  came  the  worst  trip  of  all,  to  Grand  Forks 
Hotel,  which  we  reached  about  midday,  ready  to  drop  into 
the  first  seat  that  offered  itself  A  fee  to  the  cook  secured  a 
tub  of  hot  water,  which  was  most  soothing  to  my  poor 
blistered  foot.  Here  we  met  a  large  party  of  miners,  owners 
of  several  mines.  An  agent  from  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company,  soliciting  orders,  had  an  excellent  luncheon 
cooked  by  a  Japanese,  who  confided  to  us  that  he  had  been 
nine  years  in  the  country  and  was  now  "  going  out  "  and 
that  almost  every  customer  had  giv^en  him  a  nugget. 


174         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

In  the  meantime  Jones,  instead  of  resting,  had  gone  to  the 
thirteen-thousand-dollar  mine  and  brought  me  back  some  of 
the  rock  which  he  had  hammered  off ;    it  showed   gokl  in 

every  part.     M said  he  would  accompany  us  to  pass 

judgment  on  the  proposition,  so  we  climbed  up  the  steep 

hill  where  we  broke  off  rock  which  M pronounced  of 

unusual  richness,  but  said  that  the  mine  had  been  so  thor- 
oughly worked  that  there  was  little  left.  On  we  tramped, 
stopping  at  one  claim  after  another,  never  knowing  that  the 

greater  number  of  them  belonged  to  modest  M ,  until  some 

employee  of  his  told  us.    We  stopped  at  B 's  mine,  where 

E was  brave  enough  to  go  down  the  verj-  steep  incline 

to  see  the  panning  and  was  rewarded  by  the  gift  of  a  couple 
of  nuggets  as  a  souvenir  of  the  occasion.  My  blistered  foot 
kept  me  on  the  top  of  the  hill  with  no  nugget.  On  the  road 
I  stopped  to  chat  with  one  of  my  fellows-passengers,  who  gave 
me  the  numbers  of  three  bench  claims  to  locate,  and  then 
asked  if,  on  his  return  the  following  day,  I  would  introduce 

him  to  the  great  man  of  the  country,  M .     A  little  farther 

on,  a  miner  stopped  to  chat  with  me.  Not  having  seen  a 
woman  for  ages  he  was  anxious  to  ask  me  about  his  sore 
throat  for  which  I  promised  him  a  remedy  on  my  return  to 
the  tent.     He  then  told  me  of  his  son,  who  had  met  his 

death  in  one  of  the  mines  of  S of  Colorado,  and  how  the 

generous  owner  had  educated  his  remaining  son,  who  was 
prospecting  near  by,  but  had  had  no  luck  as  yet. 

Towards  eight  in  the  evening  we  reached  M 's  mines. 

There  were  two  brothers  in  his  employ  of  the  same  name  as 
our  guide  and  host,  but  not  related  to  him.  In  a  comfort- 
able, nicely  floored  cabin  sat  pretty,  refined  Mrs.  M at 

her  sewing-machine,  with  all  about  her  as  clean  and  attract- 
ive as  though  she  had  a  dozen  shops  at  hand  upon  which  to 
call  for  supplies.  There  was  but  one  room,  according  to  the 
custom  of  the  country,  with  the  stove  for  cooking  purposes 
outside  in  a  .sheltered  nook,  and  a  cache  like  a  closet  adjoin- 
ing.    Mrs.  M welcomed  us  with  her  soft,  pleasant  voice, 

and  cooked  some  ham,  fried  some  real  potatoes  (which  she 
told  us  were  described  in  this  part  of  the  world  as  "  human 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King     175 

potatoes  "),  gave  us  some  delicious  bread — her  own  make — 
with  equally  delicious  butter  and  tea.  After  we  had  done 
full  justice  to  these  viands  we  were  treated  to  something' 
which  made  our  mouths  water — a  light,  feather}',  cream 
layer-cake.  The  repast  finished,  we  sat  outside  in  the  two 
home  chairs,  the  men  on  boxes,  and  enjoyed  the  grandeur 
of  the  scenerj',  with  its  magnificent  mountains  opposite,  on 


A    SLUICE-BOX    IN    OPERATION. 


which  bench  claims  are  already  staked  and  giving  forth  good 
pay.  At  our  feet  was  the  El  Dorado  River,  filled  with 
sluice-boxes  through  which  the  water  flowed  rapidly,  while 
the  piles  of  rock  and  stone  on  either  side  showed  how  quickly 
the  ground  was  being  dug  out.  The  men  who  were  intro- 
duced to  us  said  it  was  not  at  all  necessary  for  us  to  pitch 
our  tent,  as  there  was  a  vacant  one  near  bj',  which  they  could 
assure  us  was  thoroughh'  clean  as  the  boys  who  lived  in  it 
were  most  particular,  and  they  were  now  on  the  trail.  We 
found  a  bed  inside,  raised  about  one  foot  from  the  ground 
made  of  evergreen  boughs,  boxed  in  by  the  tent  on  one  side 


1/6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

and  a  board  on  the  other.     It  was  wide  enough  to  bunk  four 

men.     Our  man  Friday-  had  thrown  E 's  blankets  across 

the  boughs  for  us  to  sleep  on,  and  my  fur  robe  to  cover  us. 
Fortunately  we  had  brought  our  down  cushions  which  served 
as  pillows. 

I  was  awakened  some  time  during  the  night  by  hearing 

E say,  "  What  is  the  cause  of  this  intrusion  ?  "  and  there 

at  the  tent  door  with  his  face  clearly  showing  in  the  moon- 
light, stood  the  startling  apparition  of  a  man.  Had  I  caught 
sight  of  him  first,  my  shrieks  would  probably  have  aroused 

the  people  on  either  side  of  the  river,  but,  hearing  E 's 

low,  firm  voice,  I  listened  quietly  as  the  stranger  replied  : 
"  This  is  my  tent  ;  I  have  just  come  in  from  the  trail  and 
was  not  aware  that  it  was  occupied  ;  but  now  that  I  am  here 
should  like  my  blankets,  and  will  leave  you  undisturbed  if 
you  will  kindly  throw  them  out."     "  They  were  taken  to 

M 's,"  said  E ,   "  where  they  told  me  there  was  a 

bunk  for  j'ou  should  you  return."     "  Which  M ?  "  said 

the  intruder,  but  we  could  give  him  no  further  information, 
and  left  him  to  discover  for  himself. 

Wednesday,  August  loth. 

This  morning  my  poor  blistered  heel  was  so  inflamed  and 
bleeding  that  I  dared  not  put  on  a  boot,  so  slipped  into  a 
wrapper,  made  my  toilet,  and  decided,  to  my  intense  disap- 
pointment, that  there  was  nothing  for  it  but  to  give  that  foot 

at  least  a  day's  rest.     So  E went  alone  to  M 's, 

where  we  had  been  asked  to  breakfast.  No  sooner  had  the 
news  of  my  crippled  state  reached  them  than  our  host  and 
Mr.  Jones  immediately  appeared  at  the  door  and  agreed  that 

it  would  be  folly  for  me  to  move.     M had  already  visited 

one  of  his  claims  and  had  a  bag  of  gold  on  his  .shoulder 
almost  too  heavy  for  even  so  large  a  man  as  he  to  stagger 
under.  He  was  about  to  go  back  on  business  to  the  Forks 
when  he  met  his  men  coming  in  seach  of  him.     Jones  and 

E went  on  to  see  a  "  clean-up"  at  No.  — ,  and  were 

then  going  to  No.  — ,  where  the  gold  ran  from  two  to 
three  hundred  dollars  to  the  pan.     This  is  so  marvellous 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King 


// 


that  they  did  not  wish  us  to  take  it  on  faith,  but  to  see  for 
ourselves.  How  I  groaned  as  thej-  started  off  without  me, 
and  felt  indignant  that  so  small  a  thing  as  a  pebble  in  the 
boot  could  have  worked  such  damage. 

Isaacs  soon  made  his  appearance  to  get  orders  for  the  day, 
but  before  they  could  be  given  his  glib  tongue  began  its 
usual  monologue.     "  Well,  marm,  I  'm  glad  you  've  seen 


ONE    PAN    IN    A    RICH    MINE. 


me  as  I  am,  and  not  as  a  galley-slave.  Everyone  knows  me 
all  along  the  road,  and  heven  M — —  'as  n't  got  more  friends. 
Did  j-ou  just  see  them  a-callin'  of  me  on  all  sides,  mum  ? 
One  made  me  take  off  my  old  wet  shoes  and  put  on  this  fine 
pair  of  rubber  boots  ;  another  stopped  me  to  give  me  a  cup  o' 
coffee  ;  an'  right  there  at  that  place  where  you  saw  the  'oss 
tied  up,  you  might  'a'  wondered  whatever  'ad  become  o'  me, 
but  Isaacs  's  alwaj-s  all  right  ;  a  friend  'ad  stopped  me  to 
give  me  such  a  good  dinner  as  I  've  not  'ad  the  likes  o'  for 


178         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

many  a  daj-  !  We  'ad  fresh  meat,  manii,  that  we  'ad,  and 
plenty  of  it,  an'  those  friends  o'  mine,  marni,  why,  they  're 
taking  out  a  milhon  dollars,  marm,  if  they  're  takin'  out  a 
cent,  an'  pleased  they  were  to  see  me  ;  and  now  p'raps  you 
can  hunderstand  better  as  'ow  I  was  right  when  I  excused 
myself  from  'aving  that  picture  o'  mine  taken  in  \o\\x  tent 
in  a  menial  position.  Yer  see,  marm,  when  a  feller  's  once 
been  a  Bonanza  King,  it  's  against  nature  that  he  should 
want  to  be  taken  like  that  just  because  he  's  down  on  his 
luck,  but  if  I  strikes  one  o'  these  here  good  claims,  why  you 
can  take  me  as  what  I  reallj-  mean  to  be,  a  Bonanza  King. 

' '  Glass  o'  water  ?  Yes  'm,  then  I  'm  going  to  borrow  some 
things  for  these  poor  feet  o'  yours,  and  you  '11  soon  see  what 
Isaacs'  friends  can  do  for  you  ;  "  so  off  the  quiet  (?)  fellow 
went,  and  soon  returned  with  lint,  liniment,  a  pair  of  new 
muck-a-lucks,  scissors,  needle,  and  thread  with  which  to  sew 
the  bandages.  "  How  much  did  I  pay?  Well,  whenever 
3-ou  'ears  of  Isaacs'  friends  hashing  pay  for  doing  a  kindness 
to  a  sick  lady  you  just  let  me  know,  mum,  an'  it  '11  be  the 
last  time  they  '11  'ave  the  pleasure  o'  bowiu'  to  'im.  They 
says  as  'ow  you  're  to  keep  hever\'think,  marm,  until  it  's 
perfectly  convenient  for  you  to  return  them,  new  muck-a- 
lucks  and  all,  marm,  and  they  do  belong  to  Mrs.  L ,  and 

a  mighty  fine  lady  she  is, — worth  a  million  if  she  's  worth  five 
cents,  and  no  hairs  nor  nonsense  about  it."  The  muck-a- 
lucks  were  put  to  soak  and  Isaacs  brought  a  tub  of  hot  water, 
saying  that  there  was  nothing  that  he  could  not  borrow  on 
the  trail.  He  then  tied  the  tent  flaps  together  and  departed. 
Tied  tent  flaps  are  much  more  respected  here  than  are  bolts, 
bars,  and  padlocks  at  home. 

Shortly  after  came  a  visit  from  Mr.  and  Mrs.  M ,  who 

both  urged  me  to  move  to  their  house,  where  it  would  be 
more  comfortable  and  cool,  but  although  the  heat  was  almost 
insufferable  as  the  sun's  rays  poured  down  on  the  canvas 
roof,  yet,  as  they  had  but  one  room  in  which  to  sleep,  eat, 
and  receive  their  guests,  such  a  sacrifice  was  too  great  to 
accept.  Good,  kind-hearted  Jones  offered  to  get  a  harness 
and  strap  me  on  his  back,    to  be  carried  thus   down  the 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King 


179 


mountain-side.     M said  that  it  could  easily  be  done,  as 

he  had  often  packed  more  than  one  liundred  and  fift}-  pounds 

when  on  the  trail.     As  E and  I  both  refused  to  ride  the 

horse  we  had  brought  with  us,  and  for  which  we  are  paying 
thirty  dollars  for  the  first  two  days,  and  ten  dollars  for  each 
succeeding  day,  they  also  ofifered  to  send  him  back  and  them- 
selves to  carry  all  of  the  pack  which  Isaacs  might  not  be  able 
to  manage — another  offer  which  we  could  not  allow  ourselves 
to  accept,  preferring  the  expense  to  the  imposition. 


AWAITING    THE    RESULT   OF    A    CLEAN-UP. 

Jones  explained  to  us  his  position  with  M ,  saying, 

"  He  's  known  me  since  I  was  a  kid  and  he  don't  like  to  go 
to  London  without  me.  You  see  he  knows  more  about  min- 
ing than  me,  but  he  thinks  I  can  help  him  some  in  society. 
You  see  I  spent  seven  thousand  dollars  in  getting  into  society 
in  New  York  and  Boston,  an'  I  got  into  some  pretty  good 
clubs,  although  I  ain't  had  much  schoolin'  coz  I  was  kid- 


i8o        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

napped  from  school  as  a  child  ;  still  that  don't  make  no 
difference,  coz  them  that  'as  met  Jones  once  at  anj^  o'  the 
clubs  alius  asks  him  to  come  again,  an'  that  's  a  pretty  good 

sign,  ain't  it  ?  an'  I  can  help  M a  good  deal,  coz  he  's 

got  a  heart  o'  gold  ;  the  only  trouble  is  that  there  's  so  many 
a-tryin'  to  oust  me  out  o'  my  place  with  him  just  to  get  in 
themselves  ;  here  he  's  a  big  man,  an'  wherever  he  goes 
everybody   knows  him   an'   tries  to  buttonhole  him."     At 

lunch-time    Mrs.  M sent  me  b}'  Isaacs  some  delicious 

beef,  new  (human)  potatoes,  bread,  butter,  and  two  slices  of 
raw  onion,  which  those  who  live  here  the  j-ear  round  say 
is  quite  necessary  for  health.  Isaacs  ate  the  onion  with 
avidity  upon  hearing  that  I  did  not  care  for  it,  and  I  re- 
luctantly left  him  half  of  the  luncheon,  as  he  led  me  to  be- 
lieve that  he  had  had  no  breakfast. 

A  visit  from  Mr.  D M — — ,  who  sat  at  the  tent  door 

for  half  an  hour  whittling  and  entertaining  me.  He  has 
been  "  in  "  for  four  years  ;  expects  to  "  go  out  "  next  year, 
never  to  return,  having  made  his  pile.  He  also  invited  me 
up  to  the  house,  where  they  could  make  me  more  comfort- 
able, and  said  there  was  no  one  there  but  his  sister-in-law, 
who  would  be  very  glad  to  see  me.  He  heartily  agreed  with 
me  that  she  was  not  only  very  pretty  but  an  excellent  house- 
keeper. He  told  me  that  those  who  froze  here  did  not  know 
how  to  dress  properly ;  that  it  was  as  bad  to  put  on  too  much 
as  too  little  clothing  ;  that  he  had  worked  with  the  mercury 
at  eighty  degrees  below  zero.  There  is  great  rejoicing 
among  all  claim-owners  over  the  rumour  that  the  royalty 
has  been  reduced  from  ten  per  cent,  to  two,  "  and  we  can 
afford  to  pay  that,"  said  he,  "  as  we  sometimes  get  pans 
that  run  all  the  wa}'  from  three  hundred  to  twelve  hundred 
dollars,  whereas,  on  the  American  side,  you  make  much 
less  than  you  do  here,  even  after  paying  the  ten  per  cent, 
royalty." 

Just  then  E returned  enthusiastic  over  her  day's  trip, 

though    with    lame   and   aching  feet.     "  We  went  first  to 

No.  — ,   El  Dorado,"  said  she  ;  "  Mr.  M met  us  there 

and  we  watched  the  end  of  the  clean-up  of  half  a  day's  work, 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King 


i8i 


two  men,  and  out  came  five  thousand  dollars,  all  washed 
through  sluice-boxes,  then  raked  and  spaded.  From  there 
to  No.  —  and  thirty  feet  down  a  perpendicular  ladder  ; 
another  clean-up,  twelve  thousand  dollars  in  two  days,  seven 
men  at  work.  Gold  fell  out  wherever  I  poked  my  umbrella, 
and,  at  the  last  moment,  Jones  knocked  out  a  stone  and  right 
behind  it  shone  a  nugget  weighing  between  seven  and  eight 


THE    RESULT    OF    A    CLEAN-UP. 


ounces.  In  the  cabins  were  great  pans  of  gold  which  I  tried 
to  photograph,  one  pan  with  six  hundred  and  seventy-eight 
dollars.  Next  we  went  to  M — — 's  pet,  No.  — ,  but  I  did 
not  care  so  much  for  that,  as  the  gold  was  finer  and  not  so 
easily  seen.  Then  back  to  No.  — ,  to  see  them  sifting  and 
drying  gold,  taking  the  black  sand  out  with  a  common 
magnet  such  as  children  use." 
After  dinner  E and  Jones   sat   in   the  door   of  the 


i82         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

tent  entertaining  me,  while  Isaacs  sat  outside  smoking  his 
pipe  and  waiting  orders  from  us.  "  Well,  Isaacs,  did  you 
go  up  the  hill  and  write  our  names  on  the  stakes?"  said 

E .     "  I  went  up  to  top  o'  the  hill  and  down  to  the 

Gulch,  and  there  were  only  eighteen  claims  and  they  were 
all  staked  out  to  the  very  end  ;  cabins  there  and  people 
prospecting,  and  they  said  as  how  they  had  n't  found  nothink. 
Went  down  one  fellow's  hole  and  he  'd  put  a  fire  in  it.  No, 
an'  I  did  n't  stake  in  the  other  stream  neither.  You  just 
bet  yer  life,  Jones,  if  there  'd  been  anythink  in  it  I  'd  'a' 
been  in  it  myself,  cause  that  's  what  I  come  up  'ere  for." 
"Just  think  of  No.  — ,"  said  E,  turning  to  me  ;  "  every 
time  I  put  my  umbrella  in,  the  great  pieces  of  gold  fell  out  ; 

I  could  have  sat  there  for  ever."     At  eleven,  as  M did 

not  materialise  we  said  good-night  and  dropped  the  tent  flap. 

Thursday,  August  nth. 

We  awakened  at  eight  ;  all  was  quiet  ;  no  one  moving  out- 
side, not  even  the  dogs.  My  lame  foot  still  prevented  me  from 
going  to  the  M s'  cabin  for  breakfast,  which  E pro- 
mised to  send  me  by  Isaacs.  She  soon  returned,  saj'ing,  "  It 
is  nine  o'clock,  but  no  one  is  up  j-et."  Shortly  after,  Jones 
and  Isaacs  appeared  to  dress  and  bandage  ray  wounds.    Then 

came  Mrs.  M ,  with  such  a  nice  breakfast.     Finally,  our 

guide,  Mr.  M ■,  appeared,  to  know  if  I  should  be  able  to 

go  on,  and  said,  "  As  Miss  V panned  out  some  nuggets 

yesterday,  I  thought  it  would  be  onlj'  fair  to  fetch  a  few  for 
you,"  and  he  handed  me  four  beauties.    Isaacs  admired  them 

so  loudly  that  he  was  handed  a  small  one  by  M for  a 

scarf-pin.  "  Now,"  said  the  latter,  "  if  yon  feel  equal  to  the 
walk,  we  '11  go  down  to  Skookum  Gulch  and  you  shall  have 
your  turn  at  panning  out."  "  That  is  a  great  inducement," 
said  I,  "  and  rather  than  keep  the  party  back  I  '11  go  if  the 
foot   has   to   be   amputated   after."      "  By  Josh  !    you    're 

plucky,"  said  M ;  "  but  we  '11  take  it  slowly  and  you 

can  stop  whenever  you  feel  like  it."  Isaacs  rolled  up  our 
tent,  fur  robes,  etc.,  and  said,  "  You  see,  marm,  I  've  never 
boasted  much  as  to  what  I  could  do,  l)ut  when  j-ou  take  a 


CLEAN-UP   ON    THE    B MINE. 


1 84         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

trip  like  this  you  're  not  long  in  finding  out  what  an  'andj^ 
fellow  I  ham.  I  never  believe  in  boasting  ;  just  let  people 
find  out  for  themselves  an'  they  '11  soon  know  what  you  are. 
An'  now  I  '11  return  your  breakfast  dishes.  Great  Julius 
Caesar  !  ain't  you  goin'  to  eat  that  fine  cake  ?  Goin'  to  give 
it  to  me  !  Well,  by  golly,  I  'm  thankful  for  it  ;  your  kind- 
ness and  generosity  shall  never  be  forgotten  by  yours  truly, 
who  's  only  'ad  a  flapjack  for  'is  breakfast.  You  see  yester- 
day I  lent  a  'elpin'  'and  so  often  to  the  missus  that  she 
could  n't  'elp  haskin  me  to  dinner  ;  carried  water  for  her, 
chopped  wood,  and  made  myself  as  useful  as  a  man  can  to  a 
woman,  an'  that  beef  she  gave  me — well,  I  ain't  sayin'  any- 
think,  but  that  's  the  finest  I  've  tasted  for  a  long  time,  an' 
I  'm  goin  to  fix  some  just  like  it  for  you  two  ladies  as  soon 
as  we  get  back." 

Our  first   stopping-place,   after   bidding   farewell   to  the 

hospitable  M s  and  inviting  them  to  visit  us  in  West 

Dawson,  was  at  the  B s'  comfortable  cabin  with  its  car- 
pet,  rocking-chairs  and   homelike   appearance.      We  were 

welcomed  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  B and  Mrs.  B 's  sister. 

Mrs.  B showed  us  a  tin  box  filled  with  hundreds  of 

nuggets  from  their  mine.  She  was  able  to  tell  them  all 
apart,  their  weight,  and  when  and  where  found.  Her  sister 
also  had  a  fine  collection,  but  said  that  pamiing  was  such 
hard  work  that  she  did  not  do  it  very  often,  even  though  it 
meant  extra  nuggets. 

We  next  went  on  to  Bonanza  No.  — ,  where  Mr.  M 

told  us  we  might  have  all  the  gold  we  could  pan  out  ;  but 
as  they  had  just  had  a  clean-up  and  my  first  efforts  were 

not  successful,  M finished  his  business  with  the  overseer 

and  said,  "Let  us  go  over  to  Skookum  Gulch  and  there 
we  '11  find  some  nuggets."  So,  leaving  E and  Jones  dig- 
ging, surrounded  by  the  honest  miners  who  were  helping 
them  in  their  search,  we  went  over  sluice-boxes  and  crossed 
narrow  ledges  down  into  Skookum  Gulch,   No.  — ,  where 

F welcomed  us  and  said,  "  Had  you  only  come  yesterday 

I  could  have  helped  you  to  find  some  beauties."  However, 
we  crawled  under  the  sluice-boxes,  and  on  hands  and  knees 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King     185 

we  chipped  away  until  two  big  nuggets  fell  into  ni3-  hands  ; 
then  we  filled  a  pan,  took  it  over  to  the  water-box,  and  the 
excitement  began  as  the  stones  and  gravel  washed  out  and 
the  colours  began  to  show.  More  shaking  of  the  pan,  and 
the  colours  became  clearer,  until  at  length  the  small  stones 
fell  out  and  only  nuggets  remained.  These  were  dropped 
into  my  handkerchief  in  accordance  with  the  custom  here, 
that  the  best  the  mine  affords  is  scarcely  sufficient  to  do 
honour  to  woman,  so  highly  is  she  appreciated  where  she  so 

rarel_v  appears.     E and  Jones  soon  joined  us  and  E • 

washed  out  a  pan,  after  which,  as  M was  obliged  to  re- 
turn to  the  Forks  and  visit  the  clean-ups  from  his  other 
mines,  we  parted  companj-,  thanking  him  again  and  again 
for  his  kindness  and  for  the  wonderful  experiences  he  had 
given  us.  He  recommended  us  to  the  care  of  honest  John 
Jones,  and  well  did  he  fulfil  the  charge. 

We  had  sent  Isaacs  ahead  with  the  horse  and  pack,  telling 
him  to  meet  us  at  the  Half-way  House,  but,  as  that  was  eight 

miles  distant  and  E had  not  much  confidence  in   her 

ability  to  walk  it,  Isaacs  was  told  to  listen  for  our  yodel  and 
not  to  keep  too  far  ahead  of  us,  on  the  horse  trail  opposite. 
How  the  trail  changed  !  Sometimes  the  ground  was  hard 
and  dry,  then  suddenly  v^'ould  appear  a  marsh  in  which  our 
feet  would  sink  beyond  the  ankle,  and  so  extensive  that, 
peer  as  we  would,  not  a  sign  could  be  seen  of  the  trail  be- 
yond ;  we  would  wade  through  the  marsh,  carefully  picking 
our  steps  for  fear  of  disappearing  entirely  from  view  ;  then 
we  would  suddenly  come  upon  one  of  those  beautiful  mossy, 
spongy  carpets  of  such  glorious  colours  of  pale  grey,  green, 
and  red  that  it  looked  as  though  prepared  for  a  dance  of  the 
fairies.  How  we  longed  to  get  an  adequate  photograph  of 
such  exquisite  beaut}'  that  no  pen  can  picture  !  On  we 
tramped  over  this  most  delicate  of  carpets,  on  which  the  foot 
rests  but  leaves  no  impress,  and,  just  as  we  were  in  despair 
at  the  thought  of  having  lost  the  trail,  it  would  loom  plainly 
and  clearly  before  us  again,  well  trodden  and  unmistakable. 

About  8  P.M.  we  reached  the  junction  of  the  two  roads 
and  gladly  seated  ourselves  on  the   bench   under  the   tent 


1 86         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

for  supper.  Two  men  stopped  to  have  lemonade,  and 
were   charged  fift}^   cents   a   glass.     Before   starting   again 

Isaacs  took  off  E 's  muck-a-lucks  and  filled  them  once 

more  with  fresh  straw  to  protect  the  soles  of  her  feet  from 
being  cut  by  the  sharp  stones  which  we  sometimes  encoun- 
tered.    E was  still  doubtful  as  to  whether  she  could 

make  the  Half-way  House,  so  Isaacs  went  on  with  the  same 
instructions  to  listen  for  the  yodel,  which  would  mean  that 
he  must  pitch  the  tent  for  the  night.  We  were  both  anxious 
not  to  give  up,  as  it  would  have  meant  that  the  men  must 
spend  the  night  in  the  open  air  without  blankets,  although 
men  in  this  part  of  the  world  are  not  unaccustomed  to  that 
hardship,  as  evidenced  by  the  many  sound  sleepers  over 
whom  we  almost  stumbled,  so  near  to  the  trail  were  they 
lying. 

Finally,  it  became  almost  too  dark  to  see  the  waj^,  as,  at 
this  time  of  year,  one  has  really  a  few  hours  without  sun  or 
moon.  Now  came  the  bridges  ;  not  wide  ones  with  a  railing, 
but  a  log  of  wood,  which  sometimes  rolled  over  as  we  stepped 
upon  it,  laid  across  a  dashing  torrent  without  any  support. 

Poor  John  Jones  was  obliged  to  cross  it  first  with  E ,  then 

return  for  me,  and  how  we  did  cling  to  his  hand!  At  last 
we  were  really  off  the  trail,  and,  search  as  we  would,  no 
trace  of  it  could  be  discovered.  We  were  almost  ready  to 
weep  with  fatigue,  but  knew  that  we  must  keep  up  our  spirits 
and  not  depress  or  discourage  the  man  who,  although  so  ill 
and  faint  him.self  that  he  could  scarcely  walk,  still  bravely  led 
on.  Finally  we  sat  down  to  rest  while  honest  John  went  on 
a  voyage  of  discovery,  but  when  he  returned  he  had  found 
no  sign  of  a  trail.  Suddenly  we  heard  a  sound  in  the  dis- 
tance and  walked  towards  it  until  we  reached  a  mine  where 
men  were  still  working.  The}'  told  us  that  we  must  either 
retrace  our  steps  for  a  mile,  or  try  the  perilous  task  of  climb- 
ing the  rocks  and  stones  that  had  been  thrown  up  from  the 
mine,  leaving  the  deep  cavern  beneath.  We  decided  upon 
the  latter  cour.se,  rather  than  go  back.  In  fear  and  trembling 
we  began  to  crawl  over  the  pointed  mass  of  rolling  stone.s, 
carefully  testing  each  step  before  daring  to  trust  to  it.     Slip- 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King     187 

ping,  sliding,  clutchingfor  Jones'sever-readj- hand,  itseemed 
hours  before  we  reached  the  bridge  and  tried  the  dashing 
water  with  our  sticks  to  probe  the  depth  before  we  dared  put 
foot  upon  the  log.  During  the  entire  trip  we  had  said  to 
each  obstacle,  "  So  long  as  we  do  not  sink  above  the  knee  it 
does  n't  matter,"  but  here,  although  Jones  did  all  in  his 
power  to  steadj'  us,  the  log  rolled  and  the  water  rushed  into 
our  boots  as  we  went  up  to  our  hips  and  were  pulled  out  on 
shore.  Poor  John  was  in  great  distress  at  the  accident,  but 
we  assured  him  that  it  had  cooled  our  burning  feet  deliciousl y, 
and  that,  as  uo  one  ever  takes  cold  in  this  countrj',  theie 
was  no  harm  done.  But  still  he  worried,  feeling  himself  to 
blame,  and  all  we  could  saj-  did  not  restore  his  spirits. 

Then  came  a  long  stretch  of  woods  and  bog,  and  as  there 
was  nothing  to  light  us  on  our  wa\-,  I  began  to  sing.  Lead 
Kindly  Light,  lead  Thou  me  on.  Just  then  we  stumbled 
over  a  sleeping  man.  As  he  sat  up  I  began  to  apologise, 
whereupon  he  said,  "  Don't  make  no  excuses,  lady  ;  I  'd  be 
willing  to  be  woke  up  every  night  to  hear  Lead  Kindly  Light 
sung  by  a  lady."  We  next  passed  a  cabin,  and  a  voice  called 
out,   "What  time  is  it?     How  good  it  is  to  hear  a  ladj- 

sing  "  ;  but  E said  she  was  so  weary  that  song  made  her 

nervous,  and  so  we  continued  our  tramp  in  silence.  Soon 
we  saw  bright  lights  ahead  and  rejoiced  that  the  hotel  was 
so  near.  With  quickened  step  we  approached,  only  to  find 
an  enormous  bonfire  around  which  were  seated  about  twenty 
men.  At  home  we  should  have  thought  of  tramps,  and  have 
made  an  enormous  detour,  at  sight  of  the  big  slouch  hats  and 
unknown  faces  at  so  late  an  hour;  but,  being  in  Alaska  among 
men  whose  hearts  seem  to  rejoice  at  sight  of  a  woman,  we 
merely  passed  the  time  of  night  and  inquired  "  How  far  to 
the  Half-way  House  ?  "     "  Only  a  mile,"  they  replied,  and 

E groaned,  saying  that  her  feet  felt  as  though  they  had 

been  bastinadoed,  and  that  each  step  was  agony.  Another 
mile  of  marsh  brought  us,  thoroughly  exhausted,  to  the  small 
hotel.  All  were  sleeping,  but  "mine  host"  was  soon 
aroused.  There  was  accommodation  for  Jones  in  an  eight- 
bunk  hall.     The  proprietor  placed  his  room  at  our  disposal, 


1 88         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

while  Isaacs  bad  to  put  up  the  tent  and  sleep  outside.  We 
quickly  turned  in  to  beds  almost  as  narrow  as  coffins,  but  we 
were  thankful  enough  even  for  such  accommodations. 

Friday,  August  I2th. 

In  the  morning  Isaacs  brought  us  big  tubs  of  hot  water 
and  with  it  towels  which  we  did  not  care  to  use.  This  re- 
minds me  to  add  the  caution,  that  one  should  always  travel 
with  one's  own  linen,  no  matter  what  else  has  to  be  left 
behind.  He  also  brought  us  the  news  that  the  horse  for 
which  we  are  paying  from  ten  to  fifteen  dollars  a  day  had 
strayed  away  during  the  night  and  wandered  several  miles 
on  the  homeward  trail.  He  was  told  to  go  at  once  in  search 
of  it,  but  said  he  could  not  do  so  without  his  breakfast. 
Several  hours  later  he  tried  to  overtake  the  beast,  but  re- 
turned saying  that  it  was  not  to  be  found.  So  Isaacs  had 
to  pack  on  his  back  the  sixty  or  seventy  pounds,  and  was 
told  to  start  on  the  horse  trail,  tran.sfer  the  pack  to  the  horse's 
back  and  lead  him  into  town,  meeting  us  at  the  stores  of  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company.     We  took  a  few  pictures  and 

then  started  off,  E having  changed  muck-a-lucks  with 

the  cook,  and  I  wearing  one  India-rubber  boot  and  one 
muck-a-luck. 

We  started  on  the  last  stage  of  our  journey  at  three  sharp, 
and  having  been  told  that  by  climbing  the  mountain  we 
could  cut  off  two  miles,  we  took  that  route,  intending  to  do 
the  eight  miles  leisurely — eight  miles,  possibly,  as  the  crow 
flies,  but,  with  all  the  circuitous  windings  of  the  trail,  how 
many  could  it  have  been  ?  The  climb  was  one  steady  pull 
up — up — the  mountain  growing  steeper  and  steeper.     We 

rested  many  times,  as  E 's  feet  were  almost  too  sore  to 

touch  the  ground,  while  mine  felt  as  though  there  were 
mustard  plasters  on  each  sole.  Up— up — and  steeper  and 
more  steep  became  the  mountain,  until  it  was  almost  perpen- 
dicular. Had  we  seen  a  map  or  picture  of  it  before  starting, 
never  should  we  have  attempted  the  climb,  but  with  patient 
Jones  ready  to  tender  assi.stance  at  any  moment  in  spite  of 
being  still  pale,  ill,  and  faint,  we  were  shamed  into  a  courage 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King 


189 


we  were  far  from  feeling.  Many  men  passed  us  on  the  trail  ; 
nianj-  we  passed  as  they  rested  by  the  wayside,  and  from 
each  one  came  pleasant  greetings  and  compliments  at  our 
pluck  and  courage,  praise  which  I  little  deserved,  being  such 
a  coward  at  heart.  At  last  we  reached  the  summit,  and  the 
magnificent  view  was  well  worthy  of  the  exertion.  There 
was  our  tent  in  the  distance  ;  before  us  the  Klondike  River  ; 


RETURNING    FROM    A    CLEAN-UP. 

on  the  right  a  beautiful  island,  and,  just  beyond,  Dawson. 
We  seated  ourselves  on  the  moss}^  carpet,  and  feasted  our 
eyes  while  resting  our  weary  limbs.  Then  came  four  miles 
down  hill,  through  woods,  then  a  marsh  where  the  trail  was 
lost  again  and  again,  but  as  there  were  so  many  passing  in 
each  direction,  it  was  easily  refound.  Our  way  next  led  us 
through  a  town  whose  name  I  do  not  like  to  mention — 
"  Louse-town."  When  Jones  said  we  must  pass  through  it, 
I  strongly  objected,  but  he  replied,  "  Why,  there  ain't  none 


iQO         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

of  'em  there  ;  that  's  only  the  name  they  give  it,  'cause  it 
was  bought  from  the  Indians,  an'  they  're  always  lousy." 
We  hastened  through,  nevertheless,  and  then  found  ourselves 
at  the  head  of  a  perpendicular  descent;  after  walking,  sliding, 
and  rolling  down  a  long  hill,  which  seemed  so  dangerous 
that  we  should  have  taken  a  picture  of  it  had  there  been 
light  enough,  to  enable  us  afterwards  to  realise  our  own 
bravery.  Never  should  I  have  dared  it  had  there  been  any 
other  waj-  of  reaching  home.  Although  the  bank  of  the 
river  was  lined  with  boats  and  the  place  filled  with  men,  it 
took  nearly  an  hour  to  find  one  to  row  us,  or  rather  to  float 
with  the  strong  current  to  West  Dawson,  not  a  mile  distant. 
The  first  man  wanted  ten  dollars,  the  second  three,  which  we 
willingl}'  gave,  as,  had  we  walked  across  the  bridge,  it  would 
have  cost  one  dollar  each,  and  then  we  should  have  had  the 
Main  Street  of  Dawson  to  traverse  before  reaching  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  to  take  a  boat.  As  we  drifted  down 
stream,  we  3-odelled  to  Isaacs,  and  shortlj-  after  he  appeared 
with  his  pack. 

Bad  news  greeted  us  on  our  arrival.  The  neighbours' 
dogs  had  come  into  the  tent  during  our  absence  and  killed 
quite  a  number  of  the  pigeons.  It  was  eight  o'clock  and 
Isaacs,  though  exhausted,  managed  to  prepare  us  a  nice  little 

supper.     Dr.  H came  to  see  if  we  required  his  services, 

and  then  such  a  night's  rest  as  we  should  have  enjoyed  had 
it  not  been  for  the  incessant  barking  of  the  dogs  just  outside 
the  tent  ;  a  noise  which  their  owners  do  not  seem  at  all  to 
mind,  but  which  awakened  us  again  and  again. 

Saturday,  August  I3tb. 

We  must  get  rid  of  the  pigeons!  They  have  become  so 
tame  that  they  not  only  fly  all  about  the  tent,  but  even  light 
upon  the  bed  ;  at  half-after  five  this  morning  I  was  up  de- 
coying them  out  by  offering  them  food  and  drink  outside  the 
tent  door,  and  then  Poll  had  to  be  fed  in  order  to  quiet  her 
scolding.  The  silence  then  was  such  an  inducement  that  I 
began  to  write,  and  have  been  at  it  ever  since.  The  pigeons, 
however,  have  come  back  through  the  air-holes  in  the  top 


Visiting  Mines  with  a  Klondike  King      191 

of  the  tent,  and  are  so  saucy  that  they  are  sitting  on  the 
bench  at  my  side,  on  the  table  at  which  I  am  writing,  perch- 
ing on  cups  and  making  them  fall  with  a  crash,  dipping  into 
our  drinking-water  bucket,  which  our  man-of-all-work  was 
too  weary  to  cover  before  going  home  last  night,  and  even 
going  into  the  barrel,  which  makes  me  feel  like  covering  it 
up  so  that  thej'  ma)'  never  come  out.  Moral — never  open  a 
pigeon-box,  after  a  voyage,  in  a  place  where  you  do  not  wish 
them  to  remain,  for,  fight  them  as  you  will,  it  is  impossible 
to  drive  them  out  afterwards. 

Our  first  visitor  was  Mrs.  T ,  to  ask  how  we  had  en- 
joyed our  trip,  to  inquire  if  she  might  be  of  service,  and  to 
insist  upon  making  us  coffee,  as  it  was  after  ten,  Isaacs  had 
not  yet  appeared,  and  our  feet  were  too  swollen  to  permit  of 

our  taking  the  least  liberty  in  using  them.     E ,  however, 

made  some  of  her  delicious  bi.scuit,  which  the  cook,  saunter- 
ing in  before  eleven,  enjoyed  with  great  gusto.    Then  E , 

who  now  takes  charge,  kindly  relieving  me  from  all  care, 
had  her  first  unpleasant  experience  with  Klondike  house- 
keeping.    The  storm  had  been  brewing  for  some  time,  and 

she  felt  it  necessary  to  "  have  it  out."     M had  arranged 

with  his  unfortunate  friend  to  come  to  us  as  cook,  carpenter, 
boatman,  etc.,  for  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  a  month  and 
his  "grub."  He  had  worked  well,  cooked  well,  made  us 
tables,  shelves,  and  stools  from  boxes,  etc.,  was  willing  and 
obliging,  and  at  first  we  were  well  pleased.     Then  he  found 

our  "  grub  "  too  dainty  for  a  strong  man,  so  we  got  M 

to  order  just  what  miners  used,  and  advanced  him  money 
to  purchase  a  tent,  blankets,  and  other  necessary  articles. 
His  tent  was  pitched  very  near  ours,  and  he  was  allowed 
the  time  to  go  back  and  forth  for  his  meals.  But  this  took 
so  long  that  when  we  were  in  a  hurry  he  remained,  par- 
taking of  our  food. 

Next  came  a  demand  for  fresh  meat,  and,  as  the  regular 
price  is  one  dollar  a  pound,  and  we  found  on  inquiry  that 
very  few  men  got  it,  we  refused  this  modest  request.  We 
also  objected  to  his  coming  in  and  out  of  the  front  door  be- 
fore our  guests  with  pipe  in  mouth,  or  to  carrying  in  big 


192         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

boxes  when  the  back  door  was  quite  as  convenient.  We  had 
requested  him  to  take  his  "  grub  "  with  him  on  the  trail,  but 
after  the  second  day  he  informed  us  that  he  had  lost  it,  and 
when  his  friends  no  longer  lined  the  route,  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  a  meal  was  the  price  paid.  We  then  asked  him  to 
bring  his  "  grub  "  over  to  our  tent,  and  use  our  stove,  rather 
than  spend  so  much  time  in  making  extra  fires.  There  were 
also   man}'   other   small   causes   of  complaint,  of  which  he 

could  not  be  made  to  see  the  impropriety,  but  when  E 

said,  "  I  am  not  in  the  habit  of  having  my  servants  " — she 
got  no  further.  "  Servant,  madam  !  "  shouted  Isaacs,  snatch- 
ing up  his  hat.  "  How  (/ard' you  call  me  a  servant!  Do  you 
know  who  I  am  ?  "     From  his  tone  it  seemed  as  though 

E 's  end  might  be  very  near,  and  I  prepared  to  go  to  her 

assistance,  when  suddenly  his  voice  changed  and  he  said, 
"  'Ave  a  glass  of  water,  madam,  a  glass  of  cold  .spring 
water?  I  begs  your  pardon,  marm,  for  anything  I  've  said 
or  done  that  's  not  right,  but  it  's  hard  for  me  to  be  menial, 
an'  I  'm  always  'ot  about  it  when  anyone  calls  me  so."  Such 
a  scene  can  only  be  done  justice  to  on  the  stage. 

Mr.  Jones  and  Mr.  O soon  came  to  inquire  if  they 

could  do  anything  in  town  for  us,  and  next  Mrs.  B ,  to 

tell  us  of  a  miners'  meeting,  at  which  everyone  expressed 
resentment  at  the  conduct  of  the  Canadian  officials,  and  con- 
cluded to  protest  and  to  bring  pressure  to  bear  for  a  change. 

"  May  I  come  in  ?  "  said  a  new  voice.  "  I  'm  the  only 
man  in  town  who  has  n't  called  on  you  two  ladies.     My 

name  is  Q ,  and  I  've  heard  so  much  that  's  nice  about 

you,  that,  although  I  never  pay  visits,  I  could  n't  stay  away 

any  longer."     He  was  shortlj' joined  by  J and  Jones, 

who  brought  us  the  latest  news  from  town,  and  entertained 

us  until  the  arrival  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  U ,  who  said  they 

had  called  the  night  of  our  departure  and  spent  an  liour  and 
a  half  in  the  tent  waiting  for  the  return  of  their  boatman. 

Mrs.  U declared  that  she  is  charmed  with  life  here,  in 

spite  of  having  given  up  a  fine  residence  at  home  with  plent)' 
of  servants,  and  now  living  in  a  one-roomed  cabin,  doing 
her  own  housework,  cooking,  etc. 


^-':f^#^ 


<V*vJ 


CHAPTER   XVIII 


OUR    MAN    FRIDAY 


w 


Sunday,  August  14th. 

E  were  up  early — I  to  drive  the  pigeons  out  and  feed 

the   pets,    E to   make   biscuit,   as  Isaacs  had 

dipped  into  our  bread,  which  we  had  bought  for  Sundaj^'s 
dinner.  He  had  gone  off  without  washing  the  dishes  or 
making  the  bread,  leaving  everj'thing  in  the  kitchen  in  the 
utmost  disorder.  We  were  so  discouraged  that  it  then  de- 
volved upon  me  to  lecture.  So,  when  Isaacs  came  in  about 
9  A.M.,  I  said,  "  You  must  listen  to  a  few  words  from  me,  as 
you  have  paid  no  attention  to  Miss  V ,  who  is  house- 
keeper." After  a  talk  of  half  an  hour,  the  sky  was  cleared, 
fine  promises  made,  and  Isaacs  was  working  like  a  trooper. 
Soon  from  the  different  tents  came  the  shouts  of  "  Going  to 
church  ?  " — "Going  to  wear  your  overalls  or  trousers  ?  " — "  I 
saj',  Jim,  have  3-ou  got  ray  shaving  soap  ?  I  want  to  shave 
before  going  to  that  big  tent." — "  Oh,  those  ladies  said  we 
might  come  just  as  we  are." — "  So  they  did,  but  we  can 
shave,  at  least" — and  so  the  preparations  went  on  all  about 

us.     Dr.   D ,   unable  to  appear,   sent  a  substitute.     At 

eleven  o'clock  only  three  persons  were  present.  Isaacs  said 
they  were  all  ready,  but  were  waiting  for  the  bell,  so  he  was 
allowed  to  toll  it.  Then  they  came  trooping  in,  sitting  on 
rugs,  boxes,  and  benches.  I  remained  behind  the  screen  for 
the  music,  the  clergyman  asking  to  have  it  alternate  with 
songs  of  praise.  The  ser\-ices  passed  off  well,  and  at  the 
close  the  clergyman  said  he  should  like  to  make  the  acquaint- 
ance of  the  different  members  of  the  congregation  ;  so  we  all 

193 


194         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

had  a  pleasant  chat,  and  became  greatly  interested  in  one 

another's  plans  and  prospects.     Mr.    K ,  a  neighbour, 

was  glad  to  hear  news  of  friends  from  Baltimore,  Bar  Har- 
bour, and  New  York. 

Mr.  \V and  son,  of  Colorado,  came  after  luncheon  to 

ask  for  a  "  la}-  "  on  one  of  the  many  claims  we  had  staked 
during  the  week,  but  to  which  I  have  not  referred  specifically, 
as  the  "tips"'  where  to  stake  were  given  us  by  "Big 
A ."  The  results  will  be  seen  after  the  spring  "  clean- 
up." The  next  visitor  was  Jones,  who  begged  to  hear  the 
zither,  offering  to  unpack  it  upon  learning  that  it  was  in  the 
bottom  of  a  big  box.  So  the  zither  was  brought  out  and  en- 
joyed until  it  was  time  to  prepare  the  dinner,  to  which  we 

had  invited  "  Big  A ."     He  arrived  at  six  o'clock  in.stead 

of  seven,  which  we  accepted  as  a  pleasant  compliment. 
Isaacs  not  only  cooked,  but  served  the  meal  as  well  as  any 
one  at  home  could  have  done.  Our  menu  consisted  of  our 
last  tin  of  mock-turtle  soup,  which  was  so  greatly  appreciated 
that  we  were  fully  repaid  for  having  used  it  ;  lobster  a  la 
Newburg — the   name  of  which  Jones  asked   manj^  times  ; 

E ,  who  prepared  it,  was  flattered  b_v  having  each  one 

ask  for  it  twice,  even  though  it  was  made  of  tinned  lobster 
and  California  cooking  sherry.  Next  came  the  leg  of  mutton 
which  had  been  purchased  the  previous  week,  and  had  been 
hung  so  long  that  it  was  as  sweet  and  tender  as  lamb,  potato 

balls,  made  from  dessicated  potatoes,  E 's  famous  escal- 

loped  tomatoes,  my  asparagus  salad,  my  peach  ice-cream  and 

E 's  black  coffee,  with  Cresta  Bianca  during  the  diinier, 

"  topping  off"  with  a  glass  of  curafoa. 

While  we  were  still  at  table  our  Consul  arrived  with  a 

Mrs.  B ,  and  they  joined  us  in  ice-cream,  cake,  coffee,  and 

wine.  Mr.  K also  called,  saying,  "  Here  are  some  nug- 
gets for  you."  So  you  ma}^  imagine  that  we  expressed  our 
disgust  when,  instead  of  beautiful  yellow  souvenirs  which  are 
freely  distributed  in  this  country  by  the  lucky  owners  of 

mines  to  their  less  fortunate  friends,  K handed  us  some 

newspapers  called  Klondike  Nugget.  ' '  Well,  by  Josh !  "  said 
M ,  "  I  'm  not  a-going  to  see  you  disappointed  like  that," 


196         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

and  he  fished  down  deep  in  his  pocket  and  handed  me  first  a 
souvenir  from  "  Hunker  "  and  then  one  from  "  Dominion," 
and  added,  "  When  you  go  again  on  the  trail  you  maj-  pan 
out  as  much  as  you  please  from   the  mines  on  Hunker." 

"  I  like  that,"  said  E .     "  You  never  let  me  pan  out  a 

thing  either  on  El  Dorado  or  Dominion,  and  you  saw  me 
carefull}-  put  back  the  handfuls  of  nuggets  I  had  dug  out 
from  behind  the  stones."     "  Well  you  nev^er  asked  me,"  said 

M .     ' '  Now  if  she  'd  been  along,  she  would  have  laughed 

and  said,  '  Am  I  to  keep  all  I  pan  out,'  and  of  course  I  'd  'a' 
said  }^es.  Now  was  n't  it  a  pity  that  she  was  n't  able  to 
come,  'cause  you  could  both  'a'  helped  yourselves  for  the 
askin',  as  the  clean-up  was  over  a  hundred  thousand  on  each 
mine. 

"  You  'd  better  come  to  my claims  and  help  your- 
selves, by  Josh,  for  a  syndicate  has  paid  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars  and  is  to  give  me  one  million,  four  hundred  and  fiftj' 
thousand  dollars  for  them,  and  I  to  take  out  all  the  gold  I 
can  between  now  and  October  ist,  and  should  they  change 
their  minds  I  keep  the  twenty-fiv^e  thousand  dollars.  I  'm 
also  to  get  over  a  million  for  another  claim  which  will  be 
very  rich  next  year,  but  which  I  have  n't  the  time  to  develop, 
as  I  want  some  cash  in  order  to  enjoy  nn-self  in  New  York 
and  London.  I  shall  have  plenty  of  claims  left,  and  the 
clean-up   next    j'ear   will   be    greater    than    ever    before." 

Could  this  be  modest  M ?     But  he  had  just  returned 

from  the  mines  with  horses  laden  with  bags  of  gold,  and  who 
could  have  helped  feeling  triumphant  and  intoxicated  with 
such  success.  And  he  deserves  it  all,  after  A-ears  of  patient, 
steady,  hard  work.  No  man  living  is  more  "square"  or 
more  filled  with  kindliness  and  generosity  to  others  than 

honest  A M .     He  questioned  me  about  travels  in 

Europe  and  Japan,  and  of  the  great  world  outside,  of  which 
he  knows  so  little. 

Jones  went  behind  the  screen  to  get  E a  glass  of  water 

and  there  found  Isaacs  rubbing  his  stomach,  drawing  in  his 
breath  with  exclamations  of  delight,  and  saying,  "  By  golly, 
that  lobster  a  la  Newburg  was  good.     I  'ave  n't  'ad  hauy- 


Our  Man  Friday  197 

think  so  fine  in  hall  me  life."     Poor  E was  unhapp\', 

as  she  had  made  an  extra  dish  for  luncheon,  but  Isaacs  had 
added  it  to  his  dinner  of  bacon  and  greens  with  prunes.  He 
tried  to  atone  for  it,  however,  by  coming  and  whispering  to 
me,  "  I  've  'ad  all  the  hice-cream  I  could  heat  marm  and 
hi  've  packed  down  the  rest,  thinkin'  as  'ow  pr'aps  you 
and  Miss  V might  like  some  for  to-morrow."  Only  oc- 
casionally did  Isaacs  drop  his  h's  and  pick  them  up  at  the 
wrong  time,  and  we  have  not  yet  discovered  the  cause. 

Monday,  August  istb. 

Cold,  drizzling  rain!  and,  although  we  have  on  heavy  win- 
ter flannels  and  our  warmest  clothing,  there  is  an  icy  chill  in 
the  air  which  makes  us  long  for  a  nice  warm  room  with  a  fire 
inside  of  this  enormous  tent.  Our  air  mattresses  have  been 
worse  than  useless,  heavy,  and,  although  carefully  cared  for, 

the   air  escapes   apparently   through   a   seam.     E told 

Isaacs  that,  by  taking  them  down  to  the  river  bank  and 
blowing  them  up  in  the  water,  bubbles  would  show  the  punc- 
ture, to  which  this  irrepressible  replied,  "  Yes'm,  they  're 
only  seven  feet  by  six,  so  I  '11  take  one  under  each  harm, 
put  'em  on  the  Yukon,  float  down  to  Circle  City,  an'  then 
you  '11  'ave  lost  your  Isaacs."  During  our  tramp  to  the 
mines  he  said  to  us,  "  Oh,  I  say!  won't  you  two  ladies  be 
stiff  and  laid  up  !  When  you  gets  back,  j^ou  '11  just  stay 
in  bed  a  week,  an'  'Zekiel  '11  make  the  most  delicious 
piquante,  recherche  luncheons  you  've  ever  seen.  Now, 
don't  you  never  go  to  'a-calling  me  Isaacs  no  more,  'cause 
wlien  I  strikes  my  luck  people  will  remember  as  how  I  've 
been  a  cook  for  you,  but  call  me  'Zekiel,  as  there  's  plenty 
o'  Zekes  in  the  world,  and  no  one  will  ever  know  anythink 
about  it." 

M told  us  that,  seeing  Isaacs  waiting  with  his  pack, 

he  had  asked  about  the  ladies,  and  was  told  in  reply:  "  My 
dusky  queens  are  now  coming  down  the  Eouse-town  trail,  but 

if  I  strikes  my  pile,  I  would  n't  mind  marrying  Miss  V 

myself.     She  's  a  fine  one,  but  as  for  Mrs.  H ,  why  I  've 

got  no  use  for  her.     She  puts  on  too  many  airs  and  never 


1 98         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

lets  a  fellow  talk  when  he  wants  to.  Whj-,  would  you  be- 
lieve it  ?  I  went  and  sat  on  a  bench  beside  her  to  tell  her  a 
funny  joke  I  'd  just  'card,  and  what  did  she  do  but  say, 
'  Isaacs,  I  'm  busy  writing,  and  don't  want  to  be  disturbed.' 
Great  Julius  Caesar  !  catch  me  trying  to  entertain  her  any 
more,  an'  me  a-doin'  me  best." 

On  our  return,  in  bringing  me  hot  water,  he  said,  "  Well, 
if  j'ou  '11  permit  me  to  make  a  remark,  madam,  you  're  just 
the  cleanest  woman  as  I  've  ever  met.  Why  even  up  'ere, 
where  one  can  never  keep  clean,  you  're  a-vvashin'  and 
a-washin'  o'  yourself  all  the  time.  Cleanliness  is  next  to 
Godliness,  an'  if  I  thought  I  could  stand  next  to  God  I  'd 
take  a  bath  once't  a  month.  While  I  was  getting  j'ou  those 
nice  big  buckets  o'  hot  water  on  the  tr.iil,  I  had  only  a 
couple  o'  gold  pans  to  wash  in,  one  in  which  for  to  put  each 
foot  ;  none  o'  the  gold  stuck  to  them  but  a  good  deal  rolled 
off  o'  my  feet  after  that  tramp.  I  once  did  have  enough  gold 
and  that  was  at  the  Keeley  cure.  Me  at  the  Keeley  cure! 
Madam,  how  dare  you  ?  Why,  I  've  never  taken  enough 
liquor  in  all  me  life  to  make  a  flea  drunk.  Talk  about  that 
dinner  last  night  !  Why,  no  such  dinner  was  ever  given  on 
the  Yukon.  How  I  did  enjoy  it  in  the  little  corner  to  which 
j-ou  've  relegated  me  behind  the  screen  !  And  when  j'ou  told 
me  to  clear  the  table  I  just  looked  at  your  glass  an'  saj-s  to 

myself,  '  Mrs.  H never  forgets  Zeke,'   and  there  it  was 

almost  a  full  glass  o'  champagne.  I  tell  you,  it  made  me  feel 
just  good  to  watch  the  sparkle  of  it,  an'  I  held  it  as  a  miser 
does  his  gold  and  could  n't  make  up  my  mind  to  drink  it. 
Great  Julius  Caesar,  but  was  n't  it  good,  though!  I  could  n't 
get  to  sleep  until  after  one  o'clock  just  a-thinkin'  about  it." 

Mr.  Jones  was  our  first  caller  this  morning.     He  had  just 

returned  from  spending  the  night  with  M in  Dawson, 

and  although  we  told  him  the  tent  was  not  yet  in  order,  he 
insisted  that  as  he  was  one  of  the  "  outskirts  of  the  family  " 
we  ought  not  to  mind  him.  Isaacs' s  tongue  had  been  un- 
loosened and  nothing  could  stop  it.  His  head  appeared 
over  the  .screen  and  he  called  out.  "  I  say,  John,  how  did 
you  and  IM enjoy  our  dinner  last  night  ?     Pretty  good, 


Our  Man  Friday  199 

was  n't  it  ?  Thought  so  nu-self.  I  'm  getting  a  fine  repu- 
tation as  a  chef,  eh  ?  I  say,  I  've  been  investigating,  this 
morning,  and  I  've  found  all  sorts  of  things  in  these  glasses," 
said  he,  as  his  forefinger  went  from  mouth  to  liqueur  glass. 
"  'Ere  'ssomethink  new— don't  know  what  it  tastes  like — 
oranges,  I  guess.  I  say,  did  you  ever  taste  it  before  these 
two  ladies  gave  it  to  you  ?  I  tell  you,  it  's  good,"  and  Zeke 
commenced  rubbing  his  stomach  and  giving  forth  exclama- 
tions of  delight.     Jones  said  to  E ,  "  M has  done 

nothing  but  talk  about  that  dinner  and  say  he  'd  never  had 
anything  so  delicious  in  all  his  life,  but  he  said  he  did  n't 
say  so  to  you  ladies,  as  he  did  n't  kno-vv  whether  it  was 
'  society  '  to  do  so.  You  don't  put  on  no  airs  and  you  make 
him  feel  just  like  he  was  one  o'  5-our  set,  and  never  seem  to 
notice  no  mistakes  in  his  conversation.  He  's  sure  he  must 
make  a  lot,  'cause  he  ain't  had  no  more  schooliu'  'n  me  ;  has 
been  all  his  life  in  mines,  an'  says  you  're  real  ladies  to  treat 

him  so  nice.     Oh,  I  say,  Mrs.  H .     I'm  alayin'  for  you  ; 

you  treated  me  real  mean  last  night.  You  just  see  how  I  'm 
goiu'  to  pay  you  back."    "Wh)-,  were  you  here  last  night  ?  " 

said  I,   laughing.      "  Now  ju.st  look  at  her,   Miss  V . 

What  can  you  do  with  a  lady  like  that  ?  She  's  always 
a-joshin'  you,  an'  I  can't  never  get  the  best  o'  her.  Just  wait 
till  she  wants  me  to  help  her  over  a  bridge  or  down  the  side 
of  a  mountain,  or  thinks  she  sees  a  bear,  an'  then  she  'II  be 
a-callin'  for  John,  but  just  now  she  feels  so  safe  in  this  here 
tent  that  she  ain't  got  no  use  for  him."     This  reminds  me 

that  M told  last  night  of  a  man  who  had  been  found 

dead  on  the  trail  to  Sulphur,  with  a  bear  full  of  shot  lying 

by  his  side,   but  still  breathing.      M said    that   if  he 

had  n't  shot  at  the  bear  he  probably  would  not  have  been 
attacked  ;  that  the  only  way  was  to  pay  no  attention  to  it, 

and  one  would  stand  a  good  chance  of  escape,  but  E 

and  I  then  and  there  decided  that  no  amount  of  panning  or 
bags  of  nuggets  would  ever  tempt  us  to  go  on  the  Sulphur 
trail. 

Mr.  T — —  came  next  and  brought  us  a  magnificent  fresh 
salmon  which  we  told  him  he  must  share  with  us  later.     He 


200         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


then  unfolded  the  following  scheme  :  his  friend  B had 

purchased    No.   —   bench   claim,   adjoining    B 's   on  El 

Dorado  for  three  hundred  dollars  at  auction,  but,  on  finding 
that  it  was  seventj-  feet  to  bed-rock,  had  concluded  not  to 
keep  it,  and  would  let  it  go  (to  a  friend)  for  same  price  as 

paid.     "  Of  course  everyone   is  for   No.  — ,"   said  T , 

"  and  my  proposition  is  that  you  ladies  buy  it  and  give  me 


A  VEGETABLE  GARDEN  IN  THE  KLONDIKE. 

half"  "  Vou  to  do  the  assessment  work  ?  "  said  I.  "  .Vv 
share,"  replied  he.  He  had  another  plan  also  ;  said  that  his 
intention  was  to  get  a  lot  of  claims  together,  pool  them,  go 
home,  form  a  syndicate,  and  get  money  to  work  them.  "  Be- 
ing in  with  you  two  ladies  will  be  so  much  the  better,  as 
you  have  been  here  and  know  just  what  there  is  in  them 
and  people  will  believe  you  where  they  might  not  believe  a 
man." 

Then  came  Dr.  H ,  who  carefully  dressed  and  bandaged 


Our  Man  Friday  201 

our  feet.     Someone  asked  M if  the  ladies  in  the  big  tent 

had  returned,  to  which  he  replied,  "  Oh  yes,  but  they  're  in 
so  many  poultices  and  bandages  that  it  's  hard  to  get  near 
them."  Isaacs  called  out  from  behind  the  screen,  "  I  saj-, 
'ave  you  'eard  the  latest  ?  The  people  in  Dawson  want  to 
know  if  you  two  ladies  are  missionaries,  as  they  see  as  'ow 
you  have  services  lievery  Sunday,  an'  I  told  'em  indeed  5'ou 
was,  and  one  man  said,  '  By  Jove,  an'  I  told  them  a  story 
about  throwin'  Christ  out  o'  the  window.  I  'II  never  dare 
to  go  near  them  no  more.'  Another  spoke  up  and  said, 
'  Why  they  :•  y  as  'ow  they  'ave  the  finest  dinners  as  'ave 
hever  been  known  in  the  Klondike  before,  and  they  travels 
with  their  own  chef,'  but  I  did  n't  let  on  as  I  was  the  chef. 
Then  some  other  fellows  said  they  'd  never  been  in  the  tent, 
there  was  too  much  style  over  there  for  'em,  but  they  believed 
they  'ad  a  lot  o'  little  tents  in  which  to  play  progressive 
euchre,  and  give  ice-cream  free  to  ever3^one  who  called  'ot 
an'  tired  from  the  other  side.  Then  somebody  said  as  I  was 
a-waitin'  on  you,  and  they  arsked  me  some  questions,  but  I 
didn't  let  on  a  thing,  just  told  'em  you  were  two  princesses 
from  India  wanting  to  see  the  world." 

2  P.M.  While  at  luncheon  the  irrepressible  came  in  saj'- 
ing,  "  Now  that  you  two  ladies  are  at  ta1)le  and  neither 
readin'  nor  writin',  I  've  got  a  think  or  two  I  'd  like  to  saj'  ; 
have  I  your  permission  ?  "  looking  first  at  one  and  then  the 
other,  as  he  drew  up  an  empty  box  and  placed  it  at  table 
between  us.  "  You  see,"  he  whispered,  with  a  mysterious 
air,  "  I  've  been  a-digging  about  here  and  have  found  every 
symptom  of  quartz.  Now  what  's  the  matter  with  looking 
nearer  'ome  for  someone  to  put  you  on  to  a  good  thing  in 

stead  o'  listening  to  j'our  Mr.  T and  all  the  other  fellows 

who  tries  to  do  the  'owlin'  swells  in  your  heasy  chairs, 
while  I,  as  is  worth  twenty  of  them,  slaves  away  be'ind  that 
there  screen.  Now  if  you  ladies  will  just  fit  me  out  all  right 
with  grub  and  money,  and  start  me  hoff  on  the  trail,  you  '11 
see  that  Zeke  can  do  even  better  for  j-ou  there  than  in  the 
kitchen.  Bring  a  glass  o'  water  ?  Yes,  that  's  always  the 
way,  whenever  I  get  in  the  midst  of  an  hintere.sting  con- 


202         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

versation.     Now  'ere  's  Miss  V ;   it  seems  to  nie  she 

would  enjoj-  listening  to  me  sometimes,  but  when  she  sees 
you,  madam"  (and  here  he  bowed  low),  "  a  raisin'  of  your 
eyebrows  with  that  grand  air,  why,  then,  she  'as  somehow 
to  stop  a  listenin'  ;  but  I  'm  not  a-satisfyin'  you  because  my 
heart  's  set  on  the  trail,  an'  I  can't  give  my  mind  to  my 
■work,  an'  as  you  two  ladies  don't  like  to  'ave  me  sit  'ere  an' 
entertain  3-ou,  why  I  thinks  as  'ow,  if  we  can  square  up  ac- 
counts, we  'd  better  give  one  more  o'  those  big  dinners" 
(rubbing  his  stomach  again)  "  and  Zeke  will  do  as  you 
asked  'im  to, — make  room  for  another.  'Ere  's  my  ac- 
count, marm,  of  what  you  've  advanced  me  : 

"  Tent  fixings $32.00 

Fry  pan  aud  coifeepot 2.50 

Tools 2.00 

Shoes 2. CO 

Tobacco 1.50 

"  Great  Julius  Casar!  'ave  n't  had  any  for  the  past  week  an 
it  grates  on  a  man's  nerves. 

' '  Socks - $0.y3 

"  'Ad  to  'ave  one  pair. 

"  Pencils J0.50 

Medicine 1 .00 

"  I  've  been  'ere  fifteen  days  at  five  dollars  a  day  and  there  's 
over  thirty  dollars  a-cotnin'  to  me,  but  I  '11  stay  another 
week  to  get  a  little  more  ahead  before  starting. 
"  Then  I  've  bought  for  you  two  ladies 

"  Knife    $1.50 

Bread  ( 2  loaves) 50 

Fish 1.00 

Pan 1. 00 

Ice 2.00 

"  Is  that  correct  ?  A  foot-stool  ?  Yer  want  it  I  presume 
because  Zeke's  a-talkin'  too  much. — All  right,  I  '11  have  the 
pleasure  of  giving  it  to  j-ou,  madam,  in  two  shakes  of  a 
lamb's  tail." 

Next  came  Mr.  Jones  with  the  account  ot  our  expenses 
during  the  mine  visiting,  which  he  was  very  rehactant  to 
submit  to  tis,  only  doing  so  after  repeated  requests  : 


Our  Man  Friday  203 

Roomat  Half-way  House..  $  5.00      Room  at  Coffee  House... .     fj.oo 

Meals 10.00       Ferry 2.50 

Room  at  Forks 10.00       Boat   1 .00 

The  bill  for  Isaacs' s  meals  and  for  the  horse  still  to  come  ! 
As  it  was  pay-day,  M next  submitted  his  account  : 

Oars |;6.oo  2  assistants $  5-co 

Oar-locks 2.00  Help  in  pulling  tent 8.50 

Salmon I.oo  Extra  help 2.00 

Salmon 75  10  pounds  rice 2.50 

Veal 1.00  Tackle 4.00 

Bread i.oo  Poles  for  tent 7.25 

Two  water  buckets 4.00  Marketing  5.00 

Bread 50  Isaac's  grub  for  month ...  28. 10 

Dishes 1.50  Assistant 2.50 

6  towels 3.75  Nails 1.50 

Rope 6.75  Gallon  coal  oil 2.50 

While  we  were  examining  accounts,  Isaacs  had  disappeared 
entirely.  We  .sent  out  search  parties  for  him  in  vain,  and 
finally  saw  him  rowing  back  from  Dawson.  After  sectiring 
the  boat,  he  ran  up  the  bank  and  towards  the  tent,  shouting, 
"  I  've  been  to  see  the  Louise,  and  I  tell  you  ladies  she  's  a 
beauty.  Yes,  I  know  there  's  lots  to  be  done  before  night, 
but  I  went  in  my  lunch  hour,"  said  he,  as  he  prepared  him- 
self a  more  elaborate  luncheon  than  we  had  had  time  for. 

Dr.  C had  kindly  brought  us  over  a  12  x  14  tent  to  erect 

inside  of  ours,  in  which  to  sleep  and  dress,  that  we  might 
not  only  suffer  less  from  the  cold,  but  have  more  privacy  than 
screens  and  curtains  permitted.  "  Come  in  here,  John,  and 
help  me  get  up  this  tent,"  called  Isaacs  from  behind  the 
screen  to  Jones  who  was  paying  us  a  visit,  but  who  immedi- 
ately obeyed  the  summons  and  worked  like  a  trooper  until 
the  nice  comfortable  quarters  were  prepared.  The  ground 
inside  was  covered  with  evergreen  boughs,  while  a  mound 
of  them  was  made  in  each  corner,  on  which  our  hammocks, 

mattresses,  and  rugs  were  placed.     Mrs.  B came  for  an 

hour  and  told  us  of  many  amusing  incidents  occurring  in 
town,  but  as  she  writes  them  to  her  paper  I  reluctantlj'  re- 
frain from  writing  them  down. 


204         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

At  7. 15  we  sat  down  to  dinner.     Our  table  faces  the  water, 

and   before  we  had   finished   we   saw   M ,  R ,  Von 

M ,  and  D stepping  out  of  their  boats  and  com- 
ing up  the  bank  to  our  tent.     Then  followed  Dr.  H ,  to 

introduce  Mr.  L ,  then  Mr.  F (apologising  for  the 

non-appearance  of  Mr.  C ,  who  was  ill  with  larj'ngitis). 

Such  a  jolly  crowd  !  We  had  airs  from  the  music-box, 
R — ■ —  played  the  mandolin,  and  then  they  called  for  the 
zither.     Finally,  the  graphophone  was  asked  for,  but  as  it 

had  been  put  out  of  order  the  first  night,  E said  it  could 

not  be  used,  and  would  not  allow  the  "  boys  "  to  try  and  re- 
pair it  ;  but  they  coaxed  with  such  good  effect,  that  they 
finally  managed  to  gain  her  consent  and  shortly  after  we 
were  listening  to  the  Ravings  of  John  McCiilloiigli,  until  our 
blood  curdled  and  we  shivered  as  we  called  for  a  xylophone 
solo  and  some  livelj'  quartettes. 

Judge  and  Mrs.  B ,  of  Santa  Clara,  had  sent  by  us  a 

bag  of  clothing  and  goodies  to  be  delivered  to  their  two  sons 
in  Dawson,  but  although  they  had  left  before  our  arrival, 

we  were  told  that  F and  C were  their  heirs.     We 

jokingly  told  the  former  that  we  had  no  written  instructions 
to  that  effect,  but  would  take  his  word  for  it,  and  the  pre- 
sentation was  made  with  great  ceremony.  No  sooner  had 
the  "  boys  "  heard  that  there  were  three  boxes  of  Maskey's 

chocolates  in  the  bag,  than  they  fell  upon  F and  forced 

him  to  open  it.  He  immediately  presented  one  box  to 
me,  but  as  we  were  soon  to  "  go  out"  I  preferred  that  it 
should  be  enjoyed  by  those  who  had  another  two  years  to 
remain.  The  chocolates  were  seized  without  further  cere- 
mony,  and  di,sappeared    so   rapidly  that  F thought  it 

necessary  to  sit  on  the  bag  for  the  remainder  of  the  evening. 


^■'  --|^^&^^^feilk^#^'"^^ 


'T^ 


CHAPTER   XIX 

ISAACS,    THE   IRREPRESSIBLE 

Tuesday,  August  l6th. 

SUCH  a  night's  rest  in  the  little  tent  !     M3-  head  kept 
sliding  down  hill,  until  I  dreamed    that   H was 

dying  and  my  everj-  energ}-  was  being  expended  on  trying 
in  vain  to  get  to  her.  The  air  is  now  so  cold  and  chill  that 
we  have  on  our  sealskin  wraps  besides  being  heavilj'  clad  in 
winter  flannels.  Never  before  have  we  so  longed  for  the  in- 
tense rays  of  the  sun.  The  heat  from  the  stove  on  which 
our  breakfast  is  being  cooked  makes  no  impression  even  on  a 
corner  of  this  immense  tent.  The  irrepressible  performs 
his  morning  tasks  to  a  running  accompaniment.  "  Parrot  ! 
you  'd  better  get  rid  o'  her — get  someone  to  buy  her,  she  re- 
quires too  much  care  and  attention.  You  'd  better  not  pre- 
sent her  to  Miss  E •;  she 'd  have  an  apoplectic  fit."    Here 

he  breaks  into  song,  "  I  can't  believe  her  faithle.ss,  those 
e)-es  of  tender  blue."  Working  at  the  stove-pipe.  "  Now 
would  n't  that  cook  you,  working  away  at  this  the  'ole 
bloomin'  morning  and  then  finding  it  's  no  go?  'Ow  did 
you  sleep  last  night  ?  Oh,  if  you  '  ve  got  no  more  sense  than 
to  put  yer  'ead  where  the  'eels  ought  to  'a'  been,  o'  course 
)"er  ought  to  expect  the  punishment.  Now  that  there  Cap- 
tain E ,  did  you  ever  hear  tell  as  'ow  'e  staked  hout  the 

'ole  water-front,  a  callin'  it  placer-claims? 

Ma  used  to  say  that  a  little  elbow  grease  and  a  scrubbin' 
o'  the  comers  worked  wonders.  '  Scrub  the  corners  o'  the 
pans,  Zeke,'  says  she,  '  an'  the  middle  '11  take  care  o'  itself.' 
She  was  a  great  philosopher  was  ma.     Yes  'm,  hot  water  in 

205 


2o6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

a  'andful  o'  seconds.  Oh,  bj^  gosh  !  I  'm  so  sorry  you 
did  n't  see  one  o'  those  pigeons  last  night.  I  had  a  'ot  fire, 
a  bakin'  o'  bread,  when  I  'II  be  durned  if 'e  did  n't  hght  on 
the  top  o'  the  stove  and  stand  there  for  two  or  three  seconds, 
and  then  'e  'eld  hup  one  foot  and  looked  at  it  and  then  the 
other  before  'e  concluded  that  there  was  somethink  wrong 
an'  flew  away.  Whoa,  Pat  !  My  goodness  !  'ere  I  've  drove 
this  'ere  stake  down  four  feet  an  now  I  've  got  to  take  it  out 
again,  coz  the  pigeons  '11  roost  right  over  it  ;  everythink 
ought  ter  be  covered  up  until  those  there  pigeons  are  either 
killed  or  sold." 

"  Isaacs,  do  try  and  keep  the  butter  covered  ;  here  it  is 
open  again  with  all  the  dust  and  dirt  falling  into  it,  and 
you  've  been  requested  so  many  times  to  cover  it."  — 
"  See  here,  I  wish  j-ou  ladies  would  find  something  com- 
plimentary to  say  once  in  a  while." — "  You  must  not  be 
impertinent." — "I  'm  not  impertinent,  I  'm  only  just 
speakin'  the  truth  ;  it  's  rather  painful  sometimes.  Heave 
ho  !  Here  's  the  stake  down.  Sally  's  in  our  alley.  Sup- 
pose I  'm  getting  a  roast  now,"  said  he,  as  I  took  up  pen 
and  paper.  "  Here  goes, — here's  j-our  rope  to  hang  your 
dresses  on  ;  why  don't  you  turn  them  ?  This  is  the  way 
mother  used  to  do  it.  All  right,  I  '11  do  your  way;  it 's  just 
as  well  to  learn  new  waj-s  ;  my  wife  won't  do  a  thing  to  me 
when  she  sees  what  I  've  learned.  Say,  why  don't  you 
have  j-our  clothes  made  reversible  ?  Then  it  would  save 
freight  and  people  would  think  you  'ad  a  pile  o'  clothes  when 
you  'ad  n't.  Saj',  is  n't  it  surprisin'  'ow  many  times  you 
can  go  to  sleep  an'  wake  up  in  the  night — in  one  night  ?  " 

E had  put  some  macaroni  to  soak,  but  when  she  looked 

for  the  large  cheese  it  had  disappeared.  After  a  long  search, 
it  finally  became  evident  that  it  was  not  in  the  tent.  ' '  Now, 
Isaacs,"  said  E — ,  "  you  know  j'ou  said  you  loved  cheese, 
and  if  ever  you  stole  anything  it  would  be  that."  "  Guess 
the  dog  must  'a'  taken  it,  marm,"  said  Isaacs;  "that 
macaroni  's  awful  good,  but  just  think  'ow  good  it  would  'a' 

been  with  cheese.     Mrs.  H ,  there  's  only  one  favour  I  'd 

ever  ask  of  you,  and  that  is,  to  send  me  a  copy  o'  that  book 


iuT.. 


2o8         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

you'rea  writin'.    I '11  bet  I 'm  getting  a  roasting  in  it  !   Why 

don't  you  write  a  book,  Miss  V- ?     You  don't  seem  to 

write  much,  but  p'raps  you  make  up  for  it  when  you  do  get 
started.  Oh,  you  lazj'  old  dog,  just  a  lay  in'  there  enjoyin' 
of  yourself,  whiles  everybody  works  'ard." 

"  Visit  from  Dr.  H ,"  announced  Isaacs.     "  Any  feet 

to  be  bandaged  this  morning  ?  Any  invalids  to  be  attended  to, 
or  anj^  commissions  in  town  ?  I'm  going  over  if  there  's 
nothing  I  can  do  for  you  here."  He  had  already  done  so 
well  by  us  that  after  one  visit  we  were  off  the  sick  list. 

"  Would  you  like  a  cup  o'  coffee  Miss  V ?     I  put  some 

water  on  these  grounds — not  bad  at  all,"  and  Isaacs's  voice 
broke  forth  afresh.  "Did  you  ever  eat  any  bear  meat? 
Would  j-ou  like  to  try  some  ?  My  chum  's  going  down 
after  some  ;  he  's  going  twelve  miles  down  the  river  with  a 
couple  of  Indians.  I  don't  know  will  he  bring  any  back  or 
not.  I  ain't 'card  that  parrot  to-daj'.  Every  bod  j' 's  deaf ; 
no  one  answers,"  he  grumbled,  and  quiet  reigned  for  a  few 
moments. 

5  P.M.     Return  of  Mr.  O .     "  Why  did  n't  you  tell  me 

I  'd  need  a  scow  for  j-our  mail,"  said  he,  as  he  handed  sixty 
letters  to  me  and  almost  as  many  to  E.     Scarcely  had  we 

begun  to  read  them  when  Mr.  O came  with  a  friend  from 

Dawson  whom  he  wished  to  present.  The  former  intended 
to  have  a  grand  opening  of  his  new  liquor  saloon  and  begged 
us  to  sell  to  him  our  British  and  American  flags,  but  we  could 
not  spare  them.  However,  we  allowed  him  to  have  some 
small  pictures  of  Dewey,  Sampson,  Sigsbee,  and  General 
Lee.  Everyone  is  now  anxious  for  the  picture  of  the  new 
hero,  Schley,  but,  unfortunately,  it  was  not  ready  when  we 

left  San  Francisco.     Mr.   O ne.xt  admired  a  beautiful 

calendar  which  E had  given  me  for  a  Christmas  gift  and 

which  was  tied  to  the  screen  with  blue  ribbons.     As  E 

and  I  have  both  decided  to  "  go  out  "  light,  that  is,  to  take 
nothing  unnecessary  back  with  us  over  the  trail,  she  nodded 

her  assent  to  this  disposition  of  the  calendar,  which  O 

carried  off  triumphantly.  Just  then  two  of  our  fellow- 
passengers   from   San   Francisco   entered — the  mother  and 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible  209 

daughter  who  had  been  so  enterprising  in  buying  out 
laundry,  swimming-baths,  and  shop  under  one  roof.  They 
agreed  to  take  our  linen  for  two  dollars  a  dozen,  which  was 
exceedingly  reasonable  compared  with  the  six  dollars  asked 
in  Dawson.  The}'  had  been  farther  than  we  on  the  trail, 
had  staked  out  some  claims,  and,  in  two  months,  intended  to 
give  up  their  establishment  and  begin  working  their  mines. 
During  dinner  Isaacs  approached,  drew  up  an  empty  box 
on  which  he  seated  himself,  and  said,  "  Now  that  I  have  a 
few  moments  to  spare,  an'  a  few  things  to  say,  I  '11  try  and 
fix  the  graphophone  for  you.  As  you  've  'ad  such  a  big 
mail  an'  been  readin'  letters  to  each  other  from  dukes  and 
duchesses,  an  marX-cY^es  and  princes,  it  must  seem  funnj-  to 
you  to  stop  an'  talk  to  a  fellow  like  me,  but  it  takes  all  kinds 
to  make  a  world,  an'  }'ou  can't  tell  what  I  '11  be  three  }-ears 
from  now.  I  've  never  been  a  menial  before,  and  no  one  can 
be  a  good  servant  unless  'e  's  brought  up  to  it,  and  edu- 
cated  for   it.       Now  some  'ow  or  bother  hit  hirritates  me 

just  the  very  way  in  which  Mrs.  H says  '  Isaacs.'     Yer 

see  some  people  yer  can  work  for  an'  do  everything  for,  an' 
it's  all  right,  an  'a  pleasure,  coz  yer  can  sit  down  afterwards 
and  talk  things  over  like  one  o'  the  family,  but  if  once  I 
takes  a  seat  like  the  other  in  a  heasy  chair,  an'  try  to  be 

sociable,  well  Mrs.  H ,  she  seems  to  think  I  'm  out  o' 

place,  an'  I  'm  no  hypocrite,  and  won't  pretend  to  like  peo- 
ple, and  like  things,  even  if  I  could  make  a  fortune  b}-  it. 

You  're  all  right.  Miss  V ,  'cause  you  don't  mind  sittin' 

down  and  talkin'  to  me.  Now,  I  say,  how  would  this  little 
scheme  strike  you  ?  What  do  j-ou  say  to  givin'  Zeke — say 
a  hundred  dollars— sort  of  a  grub-stake,  and  I  give  you  my 
word  you  'd  never  lose  nothink  by  it — say  fiftj'  dollars 
apiece.  Everj'  man  about  here  is  coming  to  you  with  some 
proposition, — but  what  's  the  matter  with  lookin'  nearer 
home  ?  Any  one  with  'arf  an  eye  can  see  you  ladies  are  not 
going  to  be  taken  in,  but  I  laughs  to  myself  when  they 
thinks  you  are  because  you  've  got  millions  ;  but  you  knows 
how  to  take  care  o'  yourselves  if  ever  anybody  did,  and  in 
staking  Isaacs  you'd  be  sure  to  make  something  hout  of  hit." 


2IO        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

This  grand  scheme  was  interrupted  by  a  miner  who,  with 
five  of  his  partners,  was  willing  to  give  us  half  of  each  of 
their  mines,  in  case  we  would  advance  them  the  money  ta 
get  them  recorded,  and  give  them  their  grub  while  working 

them.     Just  then  "  Big  A "  was  announced,  most  oppor- 

tunelj-  for  us,  and  we  consulted  him  as  to  the  claims  offered 
us  by  these  six  men.  He  was  kind  enough  to  go  carefully 
over  the  maps  with  us,  explaining  clearly  the  geological 
formation  as  he  had  found  it,  and  describing  much  that  he 
had  learned  through  years  of  toil  and  hard  experience. 
When  our  guests  took  their  leave  the  rain  came  down  in  tor- 
rents and  the  night  was  so  dark  that  we  insisted  upon  pro- 
viding them  with  lanterns  and  umbrellas,  as  without  the 
light  of  the  former  they  could  never  have  found  their  way 
through  the  boats  that  lined  the  banks  of  the  Yukon. 

Wednesday,  August  17th. 

"  Isaacs,  j-ou  left  the  fire  burning  last  night  in  the  oil- 
stove  and  we  almost  had  an  explosion,  to  say  nothing  of 
losing  the  entire  gallon  of  oil." — "  Holy  Moses  !  I  'ni 
always  doing  somethink.  I  sa}%  did  it  rain  in  this  tent  last 
night  ?     Golly,  how  it  rained  through  mine  !  " 

We  had  requested  our  "  help"  to  come  at  eight  o'clock 
and  have  breakfast  ready,  at  nine,  but  it  was  after  nine  be- 
fore he  came  sauntering  in,  and  we  two  frightened  women 
dared  say  nothing.  On  the  previous  day,  when  spoken  to 
concerning  a  similar  offence,  he  confided  to  the  parrot  in  a 
stage  whisper  that  "  just  because  a  fellow's  watch  was  wrong, 
'e  must  be  jumped  on  for  it."  E told  him  what  to  pre- 
pare for  luncheon,  but  he  seemed  to  take  great  pleasure  in 
acting  contrary  to  her  orders,  and  continued  his  arrange- 
ments as  though  she  had  not  spoken.  Finally  I  thought  it 
necessary  to  interfere,  saying,  "  I  cannot  allow  j-ou  to  dis- 
obey Miss  V .     Did  you  not  hear  her  forbid  5'ou  to  do 

what  you  are  now  doing  ?  "  "  Oh,  I  'cirri/  a]\  right  enough," 
said  he,  continuing  to  disobey  ;  "  but  some'ow  or  bother 
horders  hirritates  me,  an  Hi  'd  rather  take  the  conse- 
quences than  be  bossed.     Yer  gives  a  fellow  'is  grub,  just 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible      211 

such  as  'e  uses  when  'e  's  a  working  at  the  mines, -and  then 
you  'as  all  the  delicacies  of  the  season  and  just  lets  a  fellow 
smell  'em.  Why  Zeke  'd  be  han  hidjit,  mum,  to  confine 
himself  to  miner's  grub  when  'e  can  'ave  such  luxuries,  and 
'e  's  a-going  to  take  'em  an'  take  the  consequences  heverj' 
time."  "  Then,"  said  I,  gathering  courage,  "  the  quicker 
you  pack  up  and  leave  the  better."  "  Yes  'm,"  said  he, 
smiling  sardonically,  "  but  I  '11  'ave  one  good  breakfast 
first."  With  that  he  seated  himself,  neglecting  his  own 
bacon,  beans,  and  customary^  food,  and  helped  himself  to 
some  of  the  few  delicacies  which  we  had  brought  to  tide  us 
over  until  the  arrival  of  our  stores. 

Before  leaving  San  Francisco,  finding  that  we  were  allowed 
but  a  thousand  pounds  freight  on  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company's  steamer,  and  that  our  boxes  weighed  very  nearly 
that,  to  say  nothing  of  the  tent,  music-bux  and  other  heavy 
articles,  we  decided  to  send  our  supplies,  which  we  purchased 
for  the  winter  in  case  of  being  accidentally  frozen  in,  by  an- 
other line.  From  one  company  to  the  other  we  went,  but 
no  one  would  guarantee  sending  freight  up  the  river  by  the 
first  steamer  except  the  Johnson-I,ocke  Company,  of  which 
M wrote  us  that  it  was  thoroughly  reliable.  The  repre- 
sentative in  their  office  assured  us  that  not  only  should  the 
goods  start  on  the  same  day  as  we — June  i  ith — but  also  that 
they  should  go  up  the  Yukon  at  once,  with  no  detention  at  St. 
Michaels,  adding  that  they  would  probably  arrive  in  Dawson 
before  us.  Upon  this  we  purchased  so  large  a  cargo  that  the 
freight  alone  cost  us  very  nearly  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
took  with  us  onlj-  enough  delicacies  and  solid  provisions  to 
last  a  few  weeks.  We  had  also  been  informed  that  the 
Johnson-Locke  Company  and  the  Joseph  Ladue  Company 
were  identical.  The  contract,  however,  has  not  yet  been 
fulfilled,  and  we  are  impatiently  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the 
nmch  needed  stores. 

After  Isaacs  had  finished  his  breakfast,  his  soliloquies  re- 
commenced. "  Now  I  '11  clean  up  heverythink,  Polly,  and 
let  them  see  how  nice  heverythink  looks  when  Isaacs  goes 
away  ;  Hi  've  'ad  enough  o'  being  bossed  by  women,  an'  I 


2  12         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

don't  want  any  more  of  it."  He  smiled  a  smile  of  childlike 
innocence  as  he  deliberately  poured  out  the  hot  water  which 
he  had  been  told  to  prepare  for  my  manicuring,  and  the 
smile  broadened  as  he  saw  me  search  for  a  tin  pan  of  cold 

water  to  be  usad  in  its  place.     He  called  E to  go  over 

the  list  and  see  that  all  was  correct,  making  sarcastic  little 
remarks  as  he  did  so.  Finally,  as  we  were  seated  in  the  re- 
ception room  part  of  the  tent,  he  approached,  and  seating 
himself  on  an  empty  box,  said,  "  Now,  ladies  { I  suppo.se  you 
call  yourself  ladies  after  bossing  a  poor  fellow  who  's  down 
on  his  luck  and  trying  to  make  'im  do  your  way  instead  o' 
'is),  I  've  a  few  words  to  say.  I  've  never  been  a  menial  be- 
fore and  don't  like  it,  an'  I  'm  not  going  to  be  bossed  any 
longer  and  never  allowed  to  come  an'  sit  'ere  with  you." 

E said  something  about  servants,  but  before  she  could 

get  anj-  further  he  thundered,  "  Servant  !  servant  !  great 
Julius  Csesar  !  'ow  dare  j'ou  call  me  a  servant  ?  'Ave  n't  I 
told  you  a  'undred  times  that  I  'm  not  a  servant  ?  I  just —  " 
"  Isaacs,   I  cannot   allow   you   to   be   impertinent  to  Miss 

V ,"  said  I,  gathering  courage  to  interfere,  and  walking 

to  the  tent  door  to  let  him  see  that,  although  we  were  only 
two  lone  women,  there  were  plenty  of  neighbours  on  whom 
to  call  for  assistance.  "  I  don't  call  it  impertinent  ;  you  've 
'ad  your  say,  and,  by  golly,  I  'm  goin'  to  'ave  mine.    Why, 

d n  it,  d'  yer  think  a  man  can't  speak  out  and  that  you  're 

a-goin'  to  'ush  'im  hup  an'  not  let  'im  free  'is  mind  ?     "Well, 

I  just  guess  not."     Fortunately,  the  voice  of  Mr.  Q was 

heard  at  this  point  calling  to  know  if  we  had  any  commis- 
sions for  town  ;  then  came  Jones  and  J and  Dr.  H . 

Isaacs  was  paid  off,  and  left  without  so  much  as  saying  good- 
bye, after  cutting  a  little  wood  and  bringing  water  in  accord- 
ance with  E 's  request. 

At  I  P.M.,  while  Mrs.  T was  calling  and  a.sking  for 

contributions  for  the  new  hospital,  which  we  most  willingly 
promised,  Jones  kindly  rowed  me  over  to  the  Recorder's 
office,  where  I  went  to  record  a  bench  claim  on  El  Dorado 
and  one  on  Bear  Creek.  Being  a  woman,  I  was  at  once  ad- 
mitted into  the  private  office  ahead  of  the  long  line  of  men, 


214         Two  W^omen  in  the  Klondike 

and,  although  I  felt  sorry  for  them,  my  feet  were  not  yet  in 
condition  to  stand  and  wait  my  turn,  so  I  resolved  to  delay  the 
line  as  short  a  time  as  possible.  I  then  went  to  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company  and  followed  the  Dawson  habit  of 
sitting  on  the  counter  and  swinging  mj'  feet  while  giving 

orders.     I  was  immediately  joined  by  M ,   Dr.   C , 

Captain    F and    others   who  wanted    to    know   how  a 

citified  woman  had  managed  to  get  up  on  the  counter  and 
identify  herself  so  soon  with  the  Dawsonites.  "  After  that 
long  tramp  over  the  mountains,  marshes,  and  rolling  stones, 
any  gymnastic  feat  is  easy,"  said  I,  "  and  then  the  miners 
give  me  valuable  bits  of  information  here  which  they  never 
would  dream  of  doing  if  I  did  not  make  myself  one  of  them." 
The  men  promised  to  scour  the  town  again  in  search  of  a 

cook  for  us.     I  next  went  to  the  Consul's  to  deliver  E 's 

letters  that  were  to  go  in  the  ofi&cial  mail  ;  had  a  chat  with 

my  old    fellow-passenger,    Mr.   W ,   who   said   that   he 

arrived  in  Dawson  while  we  were  out  on  the  trail.  Asked 
the  price  of  an  acetylene  bicycle  lamp  ;  such  as  we  had  pur- 
chased in  San  Francisco,  with  fifteen  pounds  of  calcium  car- 
bide for  four  dollars,  the  merchant  wanted  forty  dollars — 
the  best  investment  j'et  discovered  in  case  they  are  reall}' 
salable. 

At  last,  all  commissions  finished,  I  crawled  under  wharves, 
over  ropes,  and  through  mud  to  reach  good  Jones's  boat,  which 
had  been  shut  in  by  the  Ora,  and  the  peaceful  row  across 
the  river  was  most  grateful  after  the  noise  and  bustle  of  the 

town.     On  reaching  the  tent,  I  found  Von  M playing  my 

zither  most  beautifully.  Dr.  C ,  Captain  F ,  and  J , 

who  had  all  come  to  offer  their  services  to  get  wood,  or  water, 
or  anything  else  we  might  need.     Then  came  the  Rev.  Dr. 

D ,  w^ith  Mr.  H to  inquire  if  he  might  hold  religious 

.services  on  Sunday  next.  He  had  been  to  El  Dorado  to 
superintend  the  funeral  services  of  a  man  who  had  been 
smothered  in  a  mine,  leaving  a  widow  and  nine  children. 

At  6  P.M.  the  faithful  Jones  rowed  E and  me  over  to 

the  Fairview  Hotel,  where  M had  invited  us  to  dine, 

and  the  dinner  made  our  poor  attempts  seem  almost  ludi- 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible  215 

crous.    M was  awaiting  us,  and  had  a  table  in  the  corner 

of  a  goodly-sized  dining-room.  He  had  ordered  a  mando- 
linist,  a  guitarist,  and  a  banjoist,  and  the  proprietor,  the 
proprietress,  and  manager  came  often  to  the  table  to  inquire 
how  we  were  pleased.  The  menu  will  probably  be  of  inter- 
est to  those  who  think  of  starvation  and  hardships  at  mention 
of  the  Klondike  :  Eastern  oysters  on  ice  ;  tomato  soup  in 
cups  ;  salmon,  sauce  Hollandaise  ;  sweetbreads  and  mush- 
rooms ;  green  peas,  chops  and  mushrooms  ;  chicken  en 
casserole  ;  lettuce  salad  ;  preserved  pears,  cheese,  biscuit, 
nuts,  raisins,  cafe  noir — washed  down  with  German  wine  ; 
even  bon-bons  were  passed. 

After  dinner  we  walked  down  to  the  Ora  to  view  the  accom- 
modations in  case  we  should  decide  to  go  out  by  her.  Deck 
so  narrow  that  one  had  to  cling  to  the  side  to  keep  from  fall- 
ing overboard.  There  was  one  room  with  twelve  bunks,  one 
with  two,  one  on  either  side  with  one.  No  linen  or  blankets 
were  provided,  and  everything  was  filthy.  We  almost  de- 
cided at  once  to  return  down  the  Yukon  the  same  waj-  by 
which  we  came.  After  travelling  such  a  distance,  however, 
it  seems  a  great  pity  to  miss  the  grandeur  of  the  scenery 
over  the  Pass,  and  by  thinking  of  Turkish  and  Russian 
Baths  and  shampoo  parlors  to  be  found  at  the  end  of  the 
journey,  and  an  entire  new  outfit,  we  shall  probably  screw 
up  our  courage  and  take  the  plunge.  A  magnificent  new 
steamer  of  the  North  American  Transportation  Company 
with  electric  lights  and  all  the  luxuries  hitherto  unknown  in 
these  regions,  was  lying  at  the  dock  and  attracting  general 
attention  by  throwing  her  search-light  in  all  directions. 

We  were  next  escorted  to  the  private  entrance  of  the  theatre, 
where  in  a  box  from  behind  drawn  curtains  we  watched  the 
play,  Stillwater  Willie,  and  heard  some  wretched  singing  from 
girls  who  were  applauded  to  the  echo  by  their  admirers  in  the 
audience.  A  sign  in  the  box  read,  "  Gentlemen  in  private 
boxes  are  expected  to  order  refreshments,"  so  our  enter- 
tainers sent  for  nn-  usual  beverage,  lemonade,  while  the 
others  enjoyed  ereine  dc  moithe.  No  checks  were  given  us, 
as  M was  not  present  to  "  jolly  "  the  waiter  into  doing 


2i6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

so,  and  he  did  not  dare  oEfer  them  to  "  the  grand  ladies,"  as 
we  are  now  known,  owing  to  the  size  of  our  tent  and  the 

supposed  depth  and  richness  of  our  purses.     M told  me 

that  Isaacs  had  been  to  him  for  eniplo3'ment  that  afternoon, 
but  that  as  he  did  not  understand  the  situation  he  had  put 
him  off.  We  begged  him  to  give  him  something  to  do  at 
once,  and  as  far  awa}'  from  Dawson  as  possible,  as  we  feared 
that,  his  money  once  spent,  we  should  have  him  hanging 

about.     "  Well,  that  's  what  I  '11  do,  by  gosh,"  said  M . 

"  I  '11  give  him  something  the  first  thing  in  the  morning,  so 
that  ye  ladies  will  have  nothing  further  to  bother  ye."  Be- 
fore going  into  the  theatre  we  were  joined  by  Consul  M 

who  told  us  of  a  grievance  he  had  against  the  Collector  of 
Customs,  who  was  in  the  same  building,  but  refused  to  serve 
where  the  American  flag  was  allowed  to  fly.  The  papers 
were  full  of  the  case,  and  boys  were  crying  in  the  street, 
"  Full  account  of  the  row  in  the  American  Consul's  office." 

At  II  P.M.  M and  Jones  escorted  us  to  the  small  boat 

where  the  former  bade  us  good-night  and  the  latter  rowed  us 
across. 

Thursday,  August  iStb. 

A  visit  from  Isaacs  this  morning,  who  came  to  return  a 
candlestick,  and  to  tell  us  that  if  we  wanted  to  give  our  regu- 
lar dinner  he  would  be  happy  to  come  and  cook  it  for  us. 

He  asked  if  we  had  said  anything  against  him  to  M ,  as 

he  was  hoping  to  get  work  from  him,  having  known  him 
manj^  years,  and  if  we  blocked  him,  he  'd  hate  to  do  it,  but 

— here  he  stopped  as  he  caught  my  .severe  glance,  and  E 

said,  "  On  the  contrary,  when  M spoke  to  Mrs.  H ■ 

last  night  about  j'ou,  she  begged  him  by  all  means  to  give 
you  work,  and  he  said  you  should  certainly  have  it  the  first 
thing  this  morning,  so  I  advise  you  to  go  at  once." 

"  I  've  brought  you  a  Jap  cook,"  called  the  cheery  voice 
of  John  Jones,  from  outside  the  tent,  after  the  departure  of 
Lsaacs,  and  in  he  came,  followed  by  "  Frank,"  who  surveyed 
the  big  tent  with  much  pleasure,  saying,  "  Very  nice,  very 
nice;  very  fine  ice-cream  freezer."  After  hearing  what 
duties  he  was  expected  to  perform,  he  decided  to  go  back  at 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible  217 

once,  bring  his  household  goods  to  this  side,  and  put  them  in 
the  tent  which  Mr.  Jones  kindly  offered  to  loan  him.  Poor 
John  was  then  called  upon  to  row  him  back  and  help  him 
over  with  his  stores  as  soon  as  possible.  We  protested 
against  taking  such  advantage  of  so  much  kindness,  but  John 
silenced  us  by  saying,  "  Why,  I  never  enjo\'ed  myself  so 
much  in  mj-  life  as  by  being  allowed  to  help  wait  on  you 
ladies.  I  've  got  nothing  to  do  until  I  go  out  to  my  mines, 
and  might  just  as  well  be  doing  this  as  anything  else  ;  be- 
sides, it  keeps  John  out  o'  mischief"  i  p.m.  no  cook  ;  2  p.m. 
no  cook.  At  2.30  Mr.  Jones  returned,  saying  that  the  Jap 
weakened  on  his  return  to  Dawson  at  the  thought  of  having 
to  cross  the  river  each  time  he  wanted  to  meet  his  compatriots, 
and  decided  that  it  would  be  too  lonely  for  him,  so  our  kind 
neighbour  had  brought  us  back  bread  and  cake  in  order  to 
tide  us  over  while  another  cook  was  being  searched  for.  He 
lit  the  fire  for  us,  went  to  the  spring  for  a  bucket  of  water, 
and  did  any  number  of  chores  besides. 

Th,e  bill  came  for  the  horse  which  E had  ordered  to 

ride  to  El  Dorado — sixty  dollars,  which  meant  thirty  dollars 
from  4  P.M.  Monda}'  to  midnight  Tuesday,  and  ten  dollars  a 
day  until  the  horse  roamed  into  town  of  his  own  free  will 
and  accord,  and  we  never  yet  have  learned  how  he  crossed 
the  ferry.  "  I  've  just  had  a  talk  with  Isaacs,"  said  kindly 
Jones,  "  and  have  told  him  not  to  bother  3-ou  ladies  no 
more,  not  to  come  here,  and  not  to  ask  questions  as  to  whether 
you  were  talkin'  about  him,  as  j'ou  had  n't  the  time  and 
had  too  much  to  do  to  condescend  to  the  likes  o'  that,  so  you 
won't  never  see  him  no  more.  As  soon  as  I  tie  this  tent 
down  a  little  tighter,  'cause  there's  a  gale  a-corain'  up,  I  '11 
go  across  and  get  your  bag  o'  mail,  as  they  say  there  's 
plenty  of  it  a-waitin'  for  you  at  the  post-oSice  ;  "  so  off  he 
went,  and  down  came  the  rain,  which  we  are  now  receiving 
almost  daily,  though  luckily  in  April  showers  only. 

Hardly  had  he  disappeared  when  we  heard  at  the  tent 

door,  "  Well  I  've  got  me  lay.     A 's  just  given  me  the 

best  thing,"  and  in  rushed  Isaacs,  his  face  radiant  ;  "  it  '11 
bring  me  in  perhaps  thirty  or  forty  thousand  dollars  ;  going 


2i8        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

to  send  me  up  to  Sulphur  ;  cabin  's  already  built,  all  royal- 
ties paid,  no  expenses,  and  me  to  'ave  charge  of  all  the  men. 
Could  n't  'a'  been  better  !  I  tell  you,  he  's  treated  me  fine. 
Yer  see  I  was  goin'  up  to  the  Rockies,  but  '11  give  it  up  now. 
'E  wants  me  to  go  to-daj-,  but  I  've  got  hall  me  washin'  to 
soak  and  so  've  got  to  wait  till  to-morrow  night.  Could  n't 
yer  let  me  'ave  some  o'  me  grub  ?  You  '11  never  be  able  to 
use  all  the  flour  and  other  things  you  've  got  on  hand,  an' 
I  '11  pay  yer  somethink  on  it.  Well,  ladies,  me  fortune  's 
made,  an'  if  you  comes  up  next  summer  pr'aps  Zeke  '11  he 
one  o'  the  Bonanza  Kings,  and  be  able  to  have  the  pleasure 
o' entertainin' you."  And  off  went  the  irrepressible.  Never 
again,  in  any  part  of  the  world,  will  it  be  possible  to  discover 
another  character  so  unique  and  combining  so  queer  a  rai.x- 
ture  of  drollery,  unconscious  impertinence,  and  kindliness. 
"  I  say,  I  've  just  come  back  to  arsk  if  you  'ad  n't  some 
papers,  books,  or  magazines  to  spare  ?  or  could  you  let  me 
'ave  some  candles  ?  but  if  you  can't  spare  the  candles  I  can 
save  me  bacon  grease  and  manage  some  kind  o'  a  light  put  o' 
that.  Zeke  's  handy,  and  you  ladies  will  happreciate  it 
when  you  finds  another  man  to  wait  on  you.  Well,  Hi  'm 
hoff."' 

We  managed  a  cold  dinner,  E as  usual  insisting  upon 

doing  more  than  her  .share  of  the  work,  saying  that  she  loved 
camping  out,  and  the  culinary  department  in  particular. 
John  Jones,  who  had  returned  empty-handed  from  the  post- 
oflice,  as  it  was  clo.sed  when  he  reached  there,  said,  "  Yes,  if 
you  did  n't  do  the  cooking  and  I  did  n't  bring  the  water  and 

even  fill  her  glass  for  her,  Mrs.  H would  die  of  starvation 

and  thirst,  as  she  never  seems  to  have  time  to  do  nawthin' 
but  write,  write,  write."  This  shows  me  up  as  a  verj-  lazy 
member  of  the  party,  who  onh'  reconciled  that  qualitj-  to  her 
conscience  b}-  E 's  apparent  enjoyment  in  making  cer- 
tain dainty  dishes,  and  her  pleasure  in  the  appreciation 
which  was  manifested. 

vScarcely  had  we  finished  dinner  when  Mr.   M ,  Mr. 

R ,  and  Mr.  W ,  the  handsome  blond  Englishman, 

and  Judge appeared.     M brought  a  big  bag  of  ice 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible 


219 


to  make  ice-cream,  so  one  of  the  "  boys  "  got  the  tin  of  con- 
densed cream  and  opened  it,  another  whipped  it,  another  got 
the  sugar,  another  found  the  tin  of  peaches  we  had  sent  for, 
which  proved  to  be  a  tin  of  pears,  so  we  had  to  substitute 
strawberry  jam.  After  thoroughlj'  mixing  and  pouring  this 
preparation  in  the  can,  the  boys  stood  in  line  to  turn  the 
crank,  the  lazy  ones  being  relieved  from  duty  sooner  than 


OUR    HELPFUL    NEIGHBOURS. 


the  bashful  ones,  who  waited  for  volunteer  relief  which 
failed  to  materialise.  Such  constant  opening  and  tasting  ! 
We  first  discovered  that  it  tasted  too  much  of  the  cream,  so 
added  water,  as  condensed  milk  made  it  worse  ;  then  it  was 
too  weak,  and  Kirschwasser  was  found  to  be  just  the  thing 
for  it.  At  last  it  was  ready,  and  I  said  jokingly,  "  Now, 
boys,  pack  it  down  for  our  luncheon  and  dinner  to-morrow." 
"  No,  madam,"  replied  M ,  "  women  have  special  privi- 


220         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

leges  in  this  country  and  are  always  waited  upon  and  treated 
with  most  distinguished  consideration,  but  when  it  's  a  ques- 
tion of  grub,  the  man  is  bound  to  have  it  everj-  time,  and 
with  that  off  came  the  lid  of  the  can.  There  was  a  scramble 
between  two  of  the  boys  for  the  paddle  which  they  called  the 
wish-bone,  as  they  wanted  to  show  us  how  clean  it  could  be 
licked  by  a  "  Siwash,"  as  they  called  themselves  for  the  mo- 
ment.    Each  fellow  provided  himself  with  a  tin  cup,  M 

with  a  tin  plate  ;  the  one  supposed  to  have  the  keenest  sense 
of  justice  was  deputised  to  ladle  it  out,  and  the  spoonfuls 
were  carefullj-  counted  so  that  no  one  should  get  a  feather's 
weight  more  than  another.  Then  came  the  groans  and 
grunts  of  satisfaction,  as  some  of  the  lioys  said  "  the  first  I  've 
tasted  since  leaving  home.  Would  n't  'a'  missed  it  for  the 
world.  Ah,  it  's  necessary  to  come  to  this  countrj-  to  enjoy 
everything  !  "  Then  each  fellow  was  told  to  hold  on  to  his 
cup  while  we  had  some  music. 

R played  the  mandolin,  and  the  Judge  the  guitar  better 

than  I  have  ever  heard,  and  we  listened  with  keenest  en- 
joyment as  they  rendered  CavaUeria  Rusticana,  Abaidstcrn, 
Traviata,  Lucia,  and  manj^  other  airs.     A  second  round  of 

ice-cream  and  cake  was  next  in  order,  and  M •  was  accused 

of  getting  more  on  his  plate  than  anyone  else  could  put  in  a 
cup,  against  which  assertion  he  protested  in  his  ludicrous 
way,  saying,  "I  '11  bet  I  've  lifted  down  less  than  any  other 
fellow  here." 

It  began  to  get  so  cold  that  we  put  on  our  sealskins  while 

M and   R rolled  themselves  up  in   fur  robes  and 

looked  like  bears.  Our  illumination  consisted  of  three 
candles  and  a  lantern. 

At  half-past  ten  it  was  still  colder,  so  the  boys  bade  us 
good-night  and  started  for  their  canoes  which  speedily  took 
them  to  Dawson  and  their  warm  little  cabins.  Then  came 
the  voice  of  Jones  saying,  "  I  waited  up  until  your  guests 
had  left,  to  see  if  I  could  n't  fetch  you  some  water  or  do 
something  for  you.  Well,  if  you  don't  want  nothing,  I  '11  be 
saying  good  night."  How  we  congratulated  ourselves  that 
Dr.  C had  loaned  us  the  nice  little  tent  into  which  we 


Isaacs,  the  Irrepressible 


22  1 


crawled  to  our  beds,  onlj-  to  find  that  Ivan,  also  feeling  the 
cold,  had  snuggled  himself  in  among  the  rugs  on  my  air- 
mattress  from  which  the  air  had  entirely  escaped,  owing  to 
the  crack  in  the  seam  and  his  weight  combined.  We 
shivered  and  shook  as  we  undressed  and  wrapped  ourselves 
ill  our  fur  robes,  and  thought  of  the  comforts  of  the  homes 
we  had  left  behind  us,  but  never  once  did  we  dream  of  re- 
gretting having  taken  the  trip,  of  which  each  new  experience 
added  to  its  interest.  We  also  felt  that  upon  returning  to 
luxurious  civilisation  it  would  seem  hard  to  breathe  the 
stifling  air  of  a  city. 


CHAPTER    XX 


OUR    HELPFUL    NEIGHBOURS 

Friday,  August  19th. 

AT  9  A.M.  Jones  came  bringing  us  a  bucket  of  fresh  water 
from  the  spring  ;  then  offered  to  cut  some  wood,  and 
light  our  fire  for  us,  and  also  to  do  our  shopping  in  Dawson, 
objecting  to  our  going,  on  account  of  the  typhoid  fever.  So 
off  the  good  fellow  went  with  our  list  of  commissions,  saying 
ill  answer  to  my  protests,  "  It  's  no  use  ;  I  shall  never  be 
able  to  do  enough  for  you  after  your  kindness  to  me,  when 
you  'd  only  heard  of  me  as  the  '  sick  boj-.'  "     Next  came 

Mr.  Q ,  who  also  said,  "  If  there  are  any  commissions 

for  town  this  morning,  3'ou  must  give  them  to  me  and  not 
show  your  faces  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  ;  two  thousand 
are  down  with  typhoid  fever,  and  I  saw  a  poor  girl  carried 
in  a  chair  to  the  hospital  yesterday.  It  's  a  lucky  thing 
you  're  on  this  side  of  the  Yukon.  The  '  old  girl '  wants  to 
be  rowed  over,  and  asked  me  to  take  her,  but  she  's  not  yet 
ready."  "  Who  is  it  you  call  the  '  old  girl' ?"  said  I.  "Oh, 
that  woman  who  always  goes  about  in  men's  clothing.  She 
went  to  the  post-ofEce  and  walked  into  the  ladies'  entrance, 
when  thej'  called  out  to  her,  '  The  other  door,  sir,  the  other 
door;  can't  you  hear  ?  That  door  is  only  for  ladies.'  'But 
I  am  a  lady,'  she  answered.     '  Well,  j-ou  don't  look  it,'  was 

the  reply."     We  laughed  at  Q 's  story,  but  declared  that 

it  must  have  been  manufactured  on  the  spur  of  the  moment, 
as  the  Canadian  officials  are  noted  for  their  kindness  and 
courtesy  to  those  of  our  sex. 

This  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  arrival  of  Isaacs, 


Z 

o 


224        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

whose  face  has  been  beaming  with  smiles  since  the  appoint- 
ment made  bj-  M .     "  Just  came  to  see  if  I  could  bring 

water  or  wood  for  you  ladies.  "■ — "  No,  thank  you,  Isaacs,  we 
have  been  well  cared  for." — "  Good-morning,  then,  but  call 
upon  Zeke  for  anythink  you  likes,  an'  'e  '11  'ave  a  chance  of 
hentertaining  you  yet,  and  in  fine  style,  too."  For  lunch- 
eon, we  opened  a  tin  of  tomato  soup,  and  had  warmed-over 
fish  with  evaporated  potatoes,    followed  by  prunes.      Von 

M came  with  a  bucket  of  fresh  water.     K brought 

us  a  large  bag  of  kindling  chips,  but  there  was  no  sign  of 
Jones,  who  had  promised  to  row  me  to  town  at  two  o'clock 
to  record  my  claim.     At  seven  he  made  his  appearance  with 

Mr.  A ,  of  Chicago,  whom  we  had  met  on  the  trail.    The 

latter  had  returned  only  the  previous  night,  and,  after  having 
thoroughly  prospected  many  creeks,  had  struck  it  enormously 
rich  and  had  come  back  not  only  to  record,  but  to  tell  us 
where  to  stake. 

While  E •  was  having  a  private  bu,siness  conversation 

with  the  partner  of  M ,  who  has  left  for  his  claims  on 

Quartz,  Jones  had  time  to  apologise  for  not  having  turned 
up  at  two  o'clock  to  row  me  over  to  the  Record  Office. 
Someone  had  stolen  his  boat,  or  rather  ' '  borrowed  ' '  it,  and 
he  had  spent  the  entire  afternoon  with  one  of  the  mounted 
police  searching  for  it,  only  to  see,  towards  evening,  "  two 
kids"  leisurely  rowing  home  in  it.  "  I  tell  you  I  was  hot 
•with  rage,"  said  Jones,  "  and  would  'a'  had  them  arrested 
right  then  and  there,  onl\^  I  found  that  their  mother  was  a 
poor  lady  keepin'  a  restaurant  for  a  livin',  so  I  could  n't  do 
it  ;  but  I  just  says  to  her,  '  Mebbe  3-ou  think  I  ain't  hot 
'cause  I  talks  so  perlite  to  a  lady,  but  I  had  an  engagement 
at  two  o'clock  that  I  would  n't  'a'  broken  for  the  world,  and 
I  don't  know  what  them  ladies  '11  think  o'  me.  Now  j'ou  've 
either  got  to  promise  to  give  them  kids  o'  yours  a  good  talk- 
in'  to,  or  I  '11  have  to  take  them  in  hand.  Why,  they  could 
'a'  drifted  right  down  to  Circle.'  "  Later  we  heard  a  great 
shouting  and  ordering,  as  though  a  regiment  were  being 
drilled,  and  rushed  to  the  tent  door  to  catch  our  first  glimpse 
of  a  real  dog  team  at  work  hauling  logs.     The  sun  was  in 


o 
r 


2  26        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

such  a  position  that  no  picture  could  be  taken  at  the  time, 
but  it  was  a  most  interesting  sight,  as  the  dogs  appeared  to 
work  with  a  will.  Ivan  seemed  to  understand,  and  disap- 
peared lest  he  should  be  enrolled  in  service,  just  as  my  cabin- 
boy  on  the  barge  did  as  we  approached  a  wood-pile  on  the 
river,  after  calling  out  to  one  of  his  chums,  "  Wood  to  be 
cut  !  those  who  don't  want  to  work  had  better  make  them- 
selves scarce." 

J ,  K ,  Dr.  H ,  and  Jones  spent  the  evening. 

K said  he  had  just  been  making  a  batch  of  bread,  and 

E exclaimed,  "  Oh,  do  show  me  how  j'ou  make  it  up 

here,  and  I  '11  do  some  myself,  for  goodness  knows  whether 
we  '11  ever  get  another  cook.  The  men  are  all  so  wild  to  go 
on  the  trail  that  they  turn  up  their  noses  at  five  dollars  a 

day  and  grub  ;  besides,  I  love  to  cook,  and  Mrs.  H is 

most  appreciative  and  never  finds  fault  if  things  don't  come 
out  right."     "  That  's  the  way  we  all  have  to  be  up  here," 

said  J .      "  We  can  onh'  say  in  the  most  polite  manner 

possible,  '  This  bread  is  awfulh'  good,  but  don't  you  think 
it  would  be  better  for  a  little  more  salt  ?  But  it  's  delicious 
all  the  same  ! '  or  '  This  pie  is  as  heavy  as  lead,  but  I  could  n't 
begin  to  make  anything  so  nice  mj'self '  ;  and  then  we  must 
find  lots  to  praise  about  it  or  straightway  the  messmate 
throws  up  the  job  and  one  has  to  cook  for  himself,  and  yoa 
know  there  are  some  laz}'  fellows  who  hate  to  do  anything." 
"  That  's  easily  cured  in  France,"  said  the  Doctor.  "  Do' 
3-ou  know  how  they  fix  the  fellows  in  jail  who  won't  work  ?' 
They  put  them  in  a  cell  and  let  in  the  water,  but  give  them 
a  pump,  and  if  ever  they  stop  pumping  they  drown,  so  they 
dare  not  stop.     vSo  you  're  going  over  to  town  to-morrow, 

Mrs.  H ,  to  record  claims.     Well,  don't  touch  a  drop  of 

water  while  you  're  there,  because  the  water  even  from  the 
creek  flows  first  over  the  bones  of  a  tribe  of  dead  Indians." 
— "  What  a  yarn  !  " — "  No,  it 's  an  honest  fact.  Don't  you 
see  that  steep  embankment  over  there  ?  That  was  formed 
by  a  slide  which  buried  an  entire  Indian  village." — "  How 
long  ago  ?  " — "  Oh,  about  a  hundred  years  or  .so." 

"  I  saw  two  bears  on  top  of  that  embankment  yesterday.'" 


Our  Helpful  Neighbours 


)27 


— "  Now,  Mrs.  H ,  that  's  a  yarn  !      You  mean  horses, 

although  I  don't  see  how  thej'  could  have  climbed  there." 
"No,  they  were  n't  horses,"  I  stoutly  protested;  "they 
were  bears,  real,  live  bears,  on  the  very  steepest  part,  and  I 
watched  them  from  this  side  for  some  time."  As  the  in- 
credulous ones  laughed,  good  John  came  to  my  rescue,  say- 
ing, "  Yes,  I  seen  'em,  too,  and  would  'a'  gone  for  'em  if  I  'd 


LEARNING  TO  CHOP  WOOD. 


'a'  had  my  rifle."  Then  the  little  company  really  became 
excited  and  begged  me  to  call  them  the  ver}'  next  time  these 
animals  made  their  appearance,  promising  me  some  of  the 
finest  bear-meat  ever  tasted.  "  Now,  little  one,  what  can  I 
do  for  you  next  before  saying  good-night,  for  I  'm  off  to  my 
tent?"  I  gasped  in  astonishment  at  the  new  appellation, 
but  dared  not  quarrel  with  so  kind  a  friend  and  assistant, 
so  begged  him  to  go  to  the  spring  and  get  us  some  fresh 


2  28        Tv/o  Women  in  the  Klondike 

water.  In  passing,  he  whispered  to  me,  "  I  seen  them  little 
fists  o'  yours  clench  when  I  said  '  little  one.'  The)'  could  n't 
hurt  a  flea,  an'  I  ain't  afraid  o'  them,  an'  don't  you  be  afraid 
o'  John,  'cause  he  would  n't  touch  a  hair  o'  your  head,  but 
somehow  or  other  I  have  a  kind  o'  weakness  for  you  what 
makes  me  always  want  to  speak  kinder  tender-like  to  3'ou, 
but  it  don't  mean  nothin'  for  you  to  take  offence  at.  You 
just  tell  me  what  you  don't  want  me  to  say  and  don't 
you  never  be  afraid  o'  John.     Good-night  !  " 

Saturday,  August  2oth. 

' '  Good-morning, ' '  said  the  Doctor.  ' '  Anybody  up  yet  ?  ' ' 
Mr.  Jones's  voice  was  next  heard,  asking  what  he  could  do 
for  us.  He  got  us  water,  chopped  wood,  and  made  himself 
generallj- useful.      "  Here 's  your  bread-board.     May  I  bring 

it  in  ?  "  said  Mr.  K .     "  I  think  you  're  going  to  have  a 

fine  batch  !     Can  I  help  you  ?     Well,  then,  I  must  go  back 

and  wash  my  dishes."     Then  came  Von  M ,  with  his 

offer  to  help.  "  That  bread  will  not  be  ready  in  time  for 
luncheon,  you  'd  better  let  me  lend  you  a  loaf  of  mine.  I  've 
just  finished  it,  and  I  make  better  bread  than  anyone  else 
in  West  Dawson,"  so  off  he  ran,  and,  as  he  returned  with  it, 

we  heard  him  say  to  K ,  "  Now  j-ou  just  come  in  and 

turn  green  with  envy  as  you  hear  the  praise  I  '11  get  for  this 
bread."     Forewarned  in  time,  we  appreciated  it  to  the  fullest 

extent,  while  K said,  "  Yes,  but  just  look  how  it  sinks 

in  the  middle."  "  Never  mind,  young  man,  wait  until  3-ou 
can  show  us  something  better."  "  What  are  you  going  to 
do  with  all  your  papers,  magazines,  and  books  when  you 

leave?"  asked   Q ,    entering.       "Divide   them   among 

our  kindl)',  helpful  neighbours  ;  but  our  papers  are  so  old 
now,"  said  I.  "  That  cuts  no  figure — you  just  try  being 
shut  in  here  this  winter  with  nothing  to  read  and  see  how 
nice  even  the  oldest  papers  will  seem." — "  Well,  you  'd  bet- 
ter take  your  portion  now,"  and  they  rapidly  gathered  them 
up,  not  taking  the  time  even  to  pick  or  choose. 

"  How  's  the  bread  getting  on  ?     K and  I  have  come 

back  to  help  you  knead  it,  and  to  finish  up  all  the  small 


Our  Helpful  Neighbours 


229 


chores,  now  that  our  housework  is  done, ' '  and  the\-  set  to  work 
with  such  a  will  that  the  tent  soon  looked  cleaner  than  ever 
since  the  day  of  arrival.      "  Yon  may  have  lunch  for  that," 

said  E ;    "  which  do  you  prefer,  tomato  soup,  minced 

clams,  or  macaroni  and  cheese  ?  " — "  Oh,  can't  we  have  some 
of  each  ?  " — "  Not  a  bit  of  it.  We  can't  afford  to  open  any 
more  tins  than  necessary  before  the  arrival  of  our  stores." 


DOQS  HAULING   LOGS. 


"  They  all  sound  so  good  it 's  hard  to  choose,"  wailed  K . 

The  menu  was  soon  decided  upon.     I  prepared  the  table. 

Von  M opened  the  tins,  K cut  the  loaf  of  bread, 

brought  the  butter,  filled  the  tin  cups  with  water,  and  we 
sat  down  with  such  appetites  that  we  soon  finished  two  tins 
of  macaroni  and  cheese.  We  used  the  same  plates  for  our 
bean  salad,  and  then  indulged  in  the  luxury  of  clean  tin  plates 

for  Bartlett   pears.      K and  E washed  the  dishes 

while  Von  M •  and  I  cleared  the  table  and  put  the  things 


230         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

away,  and  tlien  practised  the  zither,  Von  M playing  ex- 
quisitely. How  strange  it  seems  to  find  so  much  talent  and 
so  many  college  graduates  in  this  part  of  the  world,  and  how 
they  laugh  over  their  cooking  and  housekeeping  cares,  and 
what  a  huge  joke  it  seems  !  Yet  it  all  combines  to  make  up 
the  curious  life  of  which  so  many  at  home  read  with  intense 
interest,  never  knowing  the  details  that  form  the  character 
of  a  Klondike  King,  or  are  the  cause  of  the  return  of  disap- 
pointed, broken-hearted  miners. 

"  Is  this  Mrs.  H ?  "  and  a  head  appeared  at  the  tent 

door.  "  Excuse  me,  but  someone  said  j-ou  wanted  to  take 
a  picture  o'  my  dog  team,  aii'  if  you  really  do  thej'  're  haul- 
ing a  log  for  me  now  and  I  '11  fix  them  any  wa^'  you  want 
them  to  stand."  Out  we  rushed,  Von  M — ■ —  armed  with 
camera,  I  with  Kodak,  and  took  views  not  onlj'  of  the  dog 
team,  but  also  of  some  of  our  neighbours'  tents  and  cabins. 

"  What  a  magnificent  dog!  "  called  out  a  passer-by;  "  he  'd 
draw  as  much  as  a  whole  team  together."  "  Have  you 
ladies  any  sweetened  milk?"  said  a  strange  voice.  "  My 
partner  's  ill,  and  needs  some,  an'  the  folks  saj'  you  have 
ever3'thing.  Thank  you  so  much  !  shall  I  paj^  for  it  now,  or 
return  it  to  you  later  ?  What  !  give  it  to  me  ?  But  I  don't 
like  to  take  it.  Well,  if  you  insist  ;  but  it  's  mighty  good 
of  you.  No,  I  can't  think  of  nothin'  else.  It  's  hard  to 
make  him  eat."  Finally,  as  the  last  of  our  visitors  disap- 
peared, our  good  neighbour  Jones  arrived,  saying,  "  I 
knowed  yer  'd  be  a-needin'  me  for  to  git  yer  up  a  fire  for  to 
cook  yer  dinner  and  so  I  just  rowed  across  from  Dawson. 
Don't  you  want  me  to  make  3-er  up  some  nice  biscuit?" 
The  dishes  were  soon  prepared  and  cooked.  We  seated  our- 
selves at  table  and  ate  with  the  usual  heartj'  appetite,  insist- 
ing upon  Jones  remaining  to  share  our  modest  fare.  "  Let 
me  '  bust '  your  biscuit  for  you,"  said  he,  as  I  took  one  from 

the  plate   which  E passed  me.      "  Them  little  fins  o' 

yourn  ain't  strong  enough  for  that.     I  can't  help  it.  Miss 

V ,"   said  he,    glancing  at  E .     "  It  just  seems  as 

though  she  'd  orter  be  waited  on  all  the  time.  She  's  got 
some    kind  o'    electricity    that   makes  me  feel  like  talkin' 


Our  Helpful  Neighbours  231 

tender-like  to  her.  Now  you  sit  still  and  lemme  wash  the 
dishes,  coz  she  can't  do  it,  an'  you  've  w'orked  liard  all  day." 
But  here  I  protested,  put  on  an  apron,  heated  the  water,  and 
worked  with  a  will. 

In  the  midst  of  it,  while  Jones  was  wiping  the  tin  plates 
and  cups,  and  I,  with  sleeves  rolled  up,  was  deep  in  dish- 
water, E called  out,  "  Do  come  in  here  ;  Mr.  W is 

approaching  the  tent  with  a  strange  man."     The  handsome 

youth  introduced  his  friend  Mr.  M to  E ,  then  said, 

*'  May  n't  I  come  behind  the  screen  and  shake  hands  with 
you  ?  Besides,  I  'm  awfully  good  at  washing  dishes  ;  do  let 
me  help  you  "  ;  so,  with  two  assistants,  the  kitchen  was  soon 
in  apple-pie  order,  and  we  were  seated  in  steamer-chairs, 
while  the  men  threw  them.selves  on  rugs,  or  on  the  grass  in 
the  reception-room.  Jones  insisted  upon  going  over  to  town 
to  do  our  commissions  and  returned  with  steak,  coal-oil,  and 
the  graphophone,  which  had  been  again  repaired  for  us. 
Everyone  wanted  to  hear  it,  and  between  the  Ravings  of  a 
Maniac,  Face  on  tlic  Bar-room  Floor,  and  stories  told  by  difTer- 
€nt  members  of  the  party,  we  were  in  such  a  state  of  terror 
that  we  made  poor  Jones  bring  his  fur  robes  and  sleep  in  the 
reception-room  of  the  "  big  tent,"  while  we  shut  ourselves 
up  in  the  little  one  with  Ivan  lying  before  the  door  on  guard. 

Sunday,  August  2ist. 
A  cold,  chilly  morning,  but  we  were  up  early  and  had 
breakfast  before  we  heard  any  signs  of  life  from  the  other 
side  of  the  tent.  Then  there  was  a  yawn,  and  a  shout  of 
"  What  !  you  folks  up  already  ?  Just  wait  a  moment,  an' 
I  '11  be  dressed  and  round  to  chop  wood  and  make  the  fire 

before  you  kin  say  Jack   Robinson."     "  Mrs.    H has 

built  three  fires,"  called  E ,  "  and  they  've  all  gone  out, 

so  I  've  made  the  coffee  on  the  oil-stove."  "  Oh,  them  little 
hands  o'  hers  can't  make  nothin' — .she  's  gotter  wait  fer 
John.  Now  don't  j'ou  do  no  more  work,  little  one,"  said 
he  ;  "  Johu  's  all  read}'  for  to  set  the  table,  do  the  cookin,  an' 
everything  else.  Here  's  your  hot  water  for  to  manicure 
them  little  hands  o'  j'ourn,  so  you  just  sit  down  an'  be  quiet 


232         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

an'  happy,  coz  I  knows  j-ou  're  always  happy  when  yer  gits 
them  little  fins  o'  yoiirn  in  water.  You  have  to  keep  yer 
nails  short,  don't  you  ?  "  and  as  he  looked  as  if  expecting  an 
interrogative  replj-,  he  was  rewarded  by  being  asked  why  ? 
"  Coz  j'er  fingers  is  so  little  that  if  you  let  them  grow 
yer 'd  hide 'em.     Nothing  l)ut  nails  would  show."     Ashe 

was  working  over  the  stove,  and  E was  dishing  up  the 

oatmeal,  a  strong  gust  of  wind  blew  the  tent  flap  into  the  fire. 
In  a  moment  it  was  in  a  blaze,  and,  as  the  others  caught  sight 
of  it,  before  they  could  move  I  had  a  large  bag  of  salt  on 
the  fire,  pounded  the  rest  out  with  my  fists  too  rapidly  to 
burn  them,  and  then  threw  a  bucket  of  water  over  the 
smouldering  embers.  "  Bravo,  little  one  !  Did  n't  she  do 
that  well  ?  Did  you  ever  see  the  likes  o'  that  ?  Well,  upon 
my  word !  she  had  it  out  before  we  could  move,  and  me  think- 
ing them  little  fins  could  n't  do  nothing.  Well,  I  lake  it  all 
back. ' '  But,  notwithstanding  all  his  praise,  it  never  equalled 
that  I  vi'as  showering  on  myself,  as  it  was  the  first  time  I  had 
ever  shown  any  presence  of  mind  in  danger,  having  been 
paralysed  with  fright  on  many  another  occasion. 

"  Here  's  a  note  for  Mrs.  H from  M .     Says  you 

want  a  cook,"  said  a  young  man  outside  the  tent  door. 
"  I  'm  cook  on  one  of  the  North  American  Transportation 
Company's  steamers,  but  want  to  stay  in  Dawson  this  winter, 
so  should  like  to  cook  for  you  two  ladies,  as  I  hear  you  give 
five  dollars  a  day  and  grub,  and  that 's  much  more  than  I  'm 
getting  now." — "  But  you  are  giving  up  a  permanent  position 
for  something  which  may  not  last  more  than  a  fortnight,  and 
you  ought  to  take  tliat  into  consideration." — "  Oh,  I  did  n't 
know  that  ;  then  perhaps  you  '11  let  me  think  it  over." 
Breakfast  finished,  the  dishes  washed  and  put  away,  then 
John  helped  prepare  the  pulpit,  benches,  and  rugs  for  the 
minister  and  congregation,  but  no  amount  of  persuasion 
could  induce  him  to  remain  through  the  service.  "  No, 
ma'am,  I  '11  do  anything  you  like  to  ask  me  to,  but  no  church 
for  John  ;  howsomever,  here  's  the  brush  and  I  'm  going  to 
brush  my  children  good,  'cause  I  'm  proud  o'  them  and  want 
to  see  them  look  nice." 


«5«"!iiJ'    '  s'S-'^S'S^TS^   ""^Ifc'FI 


^ 


234         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Rev.  Dr.  D arrived  with  two  friends  from  Dawson.     I 

tolled  the  bell,  and  the  little  congregation  soon  assembled. 

Service  over,  we  had  a  little  chat  with  Mrs.  W ,  the  lady 

who  had  been  told  to  go  to  the  other  door  of  the  post-ofhce. 

She  also  was  anxious  to  meet  Mr.  M ,  and  wanted  us  to 

introduce  him.  We  said  that  he  had  invited  us  to  go  on  the 
trail  to  Sulphur  the  following  morning,  but  that  we  should 
not  be  able  to,  and  she  quickly  replied  that  she  would  be 
very  glad  to  act  as  substitute. 

The  last  member  had  gone,  the  tent  flap  was  drawn  down, 

when  M and  R called  out,  "  Open  the  door,  we  've 

come  to  church.  What  !  over  already  !  We  heard  you 
ladies  needed  a  cook,  so  we  've  come  to  get  up  a  nice  dinner 
for  3'ou.  You  show  us  what  you  '  ve  got  and  we  '11  do  the  rest, 
but  we  must  start  the  music-box  first  and  work  to  slow  music. 
Oh !  by  Jingo !  is  n't  it  nice  to  come  to  a  place  where  a  fellow 
feels  as  he  would  at  home  !  If  j-ou  onlj'  knew  what  an  un- 
usual thing  it  is  out  here."  While  talking  they  rolled  up 
their  sleeves  and  went  to  work.  M made  the  most  de- 
licious English  muffins  I  ever  tasted.     R chopped  wood 

and  heated  the  tomato  soup  ;  E broiled  a  beefsteak,  fried 

potatoes,  and  heated  some  corn.  I  prepared  the  table  ;  the 
easiest  lot  always  falls  to  me  as,  luckily,  no  one  will  have 
me  "  fussing  round  in  the  kitchen."     We  finally  seated  our 

selves,  E and  R on  one  bench,  M and  I  opposite. 

Such  funny  stories,  such  laughter,  such  Klondike  expres- 
sions, as,  "  Please  give  me  another  throw  at  the  potatoes," 
etc. — "  I  saj',  are  you  going  to  have  ice-cream  to-night  ?  I 
thought  so,  for  the  boys  are  all  hunting  up  their  fur  coats  to 
wear.  Now  you  ladies  sit  perfectly  still,  as  we  're  going  to 
clear  the  table  and  wipe  the  dishes."     We  took  them  at  their 

word  and  played  ladies  while  they  hustled  about  until  M 

came  back  and  said,  "  Please,  ma'am,  the  work  's  all  finished. 
May  we  have  an  afternoon  off,  as  we  're  invited  to  get  a  din- 
ner for  another  party  at  five  ?  " — and  off  they  rushed  full  of 
animal  life  and  spirits,  enjoying  every  moment  of  their  slay 
in  the  Klondike,  and  helping  others  to  do  the  snme. 

Isaacs's  head  next  appeared.    "  I  thought  as  'ow  j-ou  ladies 


Our  Helpful  Neighbours  235 

might  have  no  further  use  for  that  'arness  you  bought  for 
nie  to  carrj'  j-our  pack  to  El  Dorado,  and  p'r'aps  you  might 

not  mind  giving  it  to  me."      "  Yes,"  said  E ,   "  for  a 

consideration,  as  we  should  be  obliged  to  purchase  another 
to  have  our  goods  taken  over  the  '  Pass.'  "  He  finally  got 
it,  however,  and  went  off  contented — for  the  moment.     Dr. 

Y arrived  from  Dawson,  bringing  with  him  a  Mr.  A 

\Yho  had  a  note  of  introduction  to  E .  We  were  inter- 
rupted by  the  arrival  of  our  fellow-passenger  S ,  who  had 

left  us  at  Circle.  He  was  accompanied  by  another  pas- 
senger, P ,  who  was  out  for  the  first  time  after  quite  an 

attack   of  illness.       They    were    quickly    followed  by   Von 

M ,  R ,  D ,  E ,  and  K .    S had  brought 

an  immense  lot  of  ice  for  the  ice-cream  ;  some  of  the  "  boys  " 
stole  radishes  and  young  turnips  from  J 's  garden,  hold- 
ing him  until  the  deed  was  done  ;  others  cut  bread,  others 
spread  it  with  butter,  and  between  us  we  made  sardine  sand- 
wiches, ice-cream,  and  had  some  of  E 's  delicious  cake. 

There  was  a  scramble  for  the  paddle,  as  usual,  as  it  was  taken 
from  the  freezer  before  the  ice-cream  was  packed.      Von 

M was  the  lucky  man,  but  was  not  allowed  to  lick  it  in 

peace,  for  he  was  chased  by  several  of  the  "  boj's,"  who  in- 
sisted that  their  hard  work  entitled  them  to  the  honour  of 
cleaning  the  paddle. 

"  I  say,"  said  one,  "  have  3-ou  heard  that  peace  has  been 

declared?"      "  Oh,  yes,"  said  Von   M .      "  America  's 

suing  for  peace,  and  Spain  has  been  rather  noble  in  granting 
most  advantageous  terms."  So  they  chaffed  ;  and  here,  on 
the  22d  of  August  it  is  quite  impossible  for  us  to  tell  whether 
our  dear  ones  are  still  in  the  thick  of  the  fight  or  at  home  once 
more.  We  were  also  told  of  the  death  of  Bismarck,  but  it  is 
as  likely  as  not  to  be  untrue.  After  the  ' '  boys  ' '  had  washed 
the  dishes  and  put  everything  in  order,  and  two  of  them  had 
gone  to  get  us  buckets  of  water,  the  "  sour  dough  "  bringing 
his  from  the  spring,  the  "  Chee  Charker  "  his  from  the  Yukon 
River,  and  being  heartily  laughed  at  for  his  pains,  we  all 
gathered  around  on  the  benches,  with  our  elbows  on  the  table; 
someone  called,  "  Douse  the  glim,"  in  response  to  which  ele- 


236         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

gant   language  the  candles  were   blown    out,  the   lanterns 

turned  down,  and  many  stories  were  told.     K ,  who  had 

slipped  away  during  the  latter  part  of  a  ghost  story,  out  of 
sight  but  not  out  of  hearing,  appeared  with  a  shovelful  of 
fire  on  which  he  had  put  salt,  alcohol,  and  other  ingredients, 
which  cast  such  a  ghastly  glow  over  each  member  of  the 
party  that  we  shouted  for  the  lights  to  be  turned  up,  and 
were  so  nervous  that  as  we  said  good-night  we  longed  for 
Mr.  Jones  to  stand  guard  again. 

"  Well,  all  your  grand  visitors  gone?"  we  heard  a  mo- 
ment afterwards.  ' '  I  knowed  they  were  tellin'  ghost  stories 
by  the  glims  being  doused,  an'  thinks  I  to  myself,  they  '11  be 
scared  to  death  and  want  Jones  to  look  out  for  them  to- 
night, so  I  don't  mind  rollin'  up  in  my  fur  robe  an'  sleepin' 
on  the  outside. ' '  This  offer  was  most  eagerly  and  gratefully 
accepted.  "  Why  did  n't  you  come  in  before  ?  " — "  Oh,  coz 
yer  did  n't  want  John,  and  he  can't  stand  them  '  Bah  Jove', 
dudes.  Now  as  for  you  ladies,  you  never  puts  on  no  airs, 
an'  you  makes  a  fellow  feel  like  j^ou  did  n't  notice  his  mis- 
takes, an'  they  ain't  nothing  in  the  world  he  would  n't  do 

for  you.     M wanted  me  to  row  him  over  to  see  you,  but 

he  would  n't  come  nother,  'coz  he  did  n't  want  to  meet  no 
dudes.  You  didn't  think  about  John  anyway,  little  one," 
said  he  confidentially.  "  I  just  sat  down  in  the  tent  and 
listened  to  your  laughter  all  the  afternoon  an'  it  did  nie 
good  ;  coz  if  I  was  n't  enjoyin'  myself,  I  knowed  you  was, 
and  I  like  to  see  you  happy.  Mrs.  T— —  went  over  to  town 
for  the  day,  so  I  went  to  sleep  in  her  tent  to  the  music  of  your 
laugh.  Saved  me  some  ice-cream!  Well,  yer  did  think  o' 
John  after  all,  an'  me  a-thinkin'  you  'd  forgot  him  an'  was 

only  listenin'  to  the  dudes  !    Well,  good  night,  Mi.ss  V ; 

good  night,  little  one,  and  don't  you  be  skeered  ;  just  re- 
member John  's  outside  here  and  one  call  from  yon  would 
fix  any  ghost  that  ever  walked." 

Monday,  Auj^iist  22(1. 
The  sun  wakened  us  bright  and  early,  and  our  chntter 
and  preparations  for  breakfast  roused  the  guard  outside  in 


238         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

the  big  tent,  who  was  soon  read}-  to  get  wood  and  water  for 
his  two  adopted  children,  as  he  now  calls  us.  As  we  sat  down 
to  breakfast,  he  said  :  "  Talk  about  your  ghost  stories  !  wh}-, 
I  could  tell  you  some  as  is  ghost  stories,  that  has  happened 
to  me  ;  some  as  would  make  your  hair  start  right  up  on  end. 
Why,  I  was  cabin-boj'  when  I  was  only  seven  years  old,  and 
then  I  made  long  trips  by  rail  '  hoboing  it '  (I  never  did  no 
swingin'  under),  met  plent}^  of  the  boys  laying  their 
scraunches  down  and  taking  gappings,  v/hen  they  come 
home  awful  tired— that  's  what  the)-  call  restin'.  Well,  I 
ain't  a-goin'  to  eat  no  more  o'  j'our  grub,"  said  he,  as  he 
finished  breakfast  and  helped  wash  dishes  ;  "  't  ain't  right ; 
if  I  can't  wait  on  you  two  ladies  without  taking  your  grub, 
I  'd  oughter  be  ashamed  o'  myself — fact.  Gimme  your  list 
uow.  I  'm  going  over  to  do  commissions,"  and  off  he  went 
for  coal-oil  and  other  articles. 

"  Why  did  n't  j'ou  come  to  church  yesterday'.  Dr.  H ?  " 

said  we,  as  he  appeared  at  the  door.  "  Oh,  I  'm  awfully 
bus}^  now  ;  had  all  my  washing  to  do  yesterday,  and  then 
I  've  bought  out  half-interest  in  the  brewery.  Studied  that 
for  three  months  before  going  to  Japan.  Awfully  paying 
thing  ;  pays  much  better  than  medicine.  Plenty  of  illness 
in  Dawson,  but  the  patients  are  all  too  poor  to  pay  any- 
thing. Most  of  them  get  ill  because  they  've  not  enough 
money  to  pay  for  food.  One  does  n't  come  out  here  for 
philanthropy,  nor  for  one's  health,  and  one  can't  get  more 
than  five  dollars  a  visit  at  the  hospital.  Surprising  one  can 
make  such  good  beer  out  of  rice  !  We  just  put  it  in  bottles 
and  let  it  ferment  for  a  day  or  two.  I  'm  going  to  make  my 
fortune  now,  and  give  up  medicine  for  a  while.  If  there  's 
nothing  I  can  do  for  you,  I  '11  go  home  and  wash  dishes. 

J saj's  you  gave  them  a  fine  ice-cream  supper  last  night ; 

wish  you  had  asked  me.  Let  me  know  when  you  give  an- 
other, won't  you  ?  " 

5  P.M.  Jones  has  just  returned  from  Dawson  carrying  a 
big  five-gallon  can  of  coal-oil,  and  sundrj'  other  necessaries. 
He  presented  the  following  itemized  bill  covering  his 
purchases  : 


Our  Helpful  Neighbours 

Coal-oil Jio.oo 

I  can  peaches 75 

5  pounds  pilot  bread 1.25 

I ^^  pounds  cheese i.oo 

fl3.oo 


Dawson  prices  are  dropping,  as  is  shown  bj-  the  above  bill, 
on  account  of  so  man}-  steamers  coming  in  daily — all  but 
the  Ladue  steamer.  Some  Indians  passed  and  peeped  in  at 
the  door.  A  tramp  looked  in  at  the  front  door  and  disap- 
peared. I  went  behind  the  screen  and  into  the  kitchen  and 
found  him  at  the  entrance  of  the  back  door,  but  he  beat  a 
retreat  with  never  a  word.  Truly  the  place  is  changing  1 
Even  the  miners  acknowledge  that  they  can  no  longer  leave 
their  gold-dust  out  in  tomato-cans.  Things  disappear  mys- 
teriously. The  boats  are  bringing  in  too  many  "  Chee 
Charkers  "  and  there  is  talk  of  a  miners'  meeting.  If  we 
were  to  air  one  or  two  grievances  over  missing  articles  the 
storm  might  burst,  and  we  be  allowed  to  .see  a  lifeless  bod}- 
dangling  from  a  tree,  or  a  solitary  man  put  on  a  raft  and  set 
afloat  down-stream  with  tlie  swift  current  to  carrj'  him  to  an 
unknown  destination  to  begin  life  once  more. 

8  p.Ji.  Jones  helped  get  dinner  and  remained  under  pro- 
test to  partake,  saying  that  he  was  "  eatin'  too  much  o'  your 

grub  anyhow."     W came  over  in  time  to  join  us,  after 

which  Jones   insisted   upon   washing    dishes   and   assisting 

E while  W and  I  went  for  a  tramp  around  our  island. 

On   our  return  Jones  begged   me  to  go  for  a  "  boat-ride" 

to  see  a  raft  of  which  E and  I  could  build  a  house,  as 

we  could  get  the  land  for  nothing,  and  the  raft  would  be  sold 

cheap.     I  was  expecting  Von  M to  teach  me  to  develop 

photographs,  so  gave  E a  policeman's  whistle  with  which 

to  call  me  when  he  came,  carrying  one  myself  to  answer  her 
call.  The  night  was  perfect,  the  stars  shining,  and  had  it  not 
been  for  the  strong  current  a  daily  boat-ride  would  have 
been  blissful,  but  contending  against  a  current  of  six  or  seven 
miles  an  hour  made  the  exertion  of  rowing  so  great  that 
accepting  an  invitation  seemed  too  much  of  an  imposition. 


240 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Scarcely  had  we  reached  the  raft  when  the  whistle  sounded 
and  we    floated    down-stream   to   the   landing,    where    Mr. 

W was  waiting  to  assist  me  in  scrambling  up  the  steep 

embankment.  This  g3annastic  performance  would  be  more 
easily  accomplished  were  it  not  for  the  impediment  of  skirts. 
Society  is  not  educated  np  to  it,  nor  is  the  writer,  but  really 
the  only  way  of  getting  about  in  this  part  of  the  world, 
sensibly  and  without  accident,  is  garbed  in  bloomers.  We 
developed  no  photographs  nor  did  we  make  the  attempt,  as 
we  became  wildly  excited  over  the  possibilities  of  a  business 
scheme. 


CHAPTER  XXI 


A   NEW   SCHEME 


ON  the  previous  day,    we  had  mentioned   before   Von 
M and  a  number  of  the  "  boys  "  that,  in  accord- 
ance with  a  request  from  M ,  we  had  brought  a  bowling 

alley  and  an  animatoscope  with  which  he  declared  he  could 
make  his  fortune  and  our  own  within  six  months,  as  neither 
had  yet  been  seen  in  Dawson.  It  was  distinctly  understood, 
however,  that  they  were  not  to  be  placed  in  his  hands  until 
after  certain  inquiries  had  been  made  at  the  end  of  our  jour- 
ney. For  reasons  not  necessary'  to  state  here,  we  had  de- 
cided not  to  turn  over  to  him  the  many  articles  purchased, 
but  to  make  some  other  disposition  of  them.  Immediately, 
several  of  the  "  boys  "  had  expressed  a  strong  desire  to  take 
the  matter  in  hand,  and  we  agreed  to  consider  their  proposi- 
tions. 

Von  M had  been  to  town  early  in  the  morning,  had 

visited  the  few  halls  there,  and  had  numerous  plans  to  lay 
before  us.  "  We  're  not  any  of  us  up  here  for  our  health," 
said  he,  "  and  there  are  several  who  would  be  glad  to  go  into 

this  thing,  and  push  it,  on  a  business-like  basis."     W 

also  became  intenselv  interested  as  we  looked  over  the  magic- 
lantern  slides,  and  made  out  the  list  of  moving  pictures  which 

all  pronounced  wonderfully  good.     Von  M was  to  be 

manager,  W to  take  tickets  and  weigh  the  gold-dust. 

"  Let  us  get  M to  do  the  '  talkee-talkee  '  because  he  's 

so  jolly,"  said  thej'.  "  Who  shall  we  have  to  manage  the 
lights?  "     "  Oh,  hurry  and  start  it,"  said  E ,  "  because 

i6 

241 


242         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Mrs.  H has  promised  to  leave  for  home  early  in  Sep- 
tember, and  I  want  to  see  the  show  before  we  go." 

August  23d. 

Von  M was  on  hand  before  10  a.m.  and  helped  us 

prepare  breakfast.     After  giving  Von  M the  address  of 

a  man  who  had  been  for  eight  years  engaged  in  a  bowling 
alley,  and  that  of  another  who  has  charge  of  an  acetylene 
plant,  he  left,  and  I  went  to  Dawson  with  kindly  Jones  as 

boatman.     I  went  directly  to  Mr.  W ,  the  head  of  the 

lumber  department,  to  ask  if  we  might  have  a  permit  to  build 
a  cabin  in  West  Dawson,  and  where.  "  Just  wherever  you 
please,"  he  replied.  "  But  they  tell  me  that  there  are  men 
waiting  to  build  even  where  our  tent  stands  and  that  courtesy 
alone  keeps  them  from  asking  for  the  land  upon  which  we 
have  squatted,"  said  I.  "  You  just  build  your  cabin  wher- 
ever you  please,  my  dear  madam.  There  's  no  record  of 
anything  of  that  kind  ;  and  I  shall  see  that  you  are  not  dis- 
turbed." "How  about  building  on  this  side?"  said  I. 
"  Well,  this  lot,  for  only  this  small  cabin,  cost  thirty  thou- 
sand dollars,  but  I  might  be  able  to  secure  you  one  for  three 
hundred  dollars,  as  you  won't  care  to  be  on  the  principal 
street.  I  '11  look  about  for  a  fine  location,  and  let  j-ou  know 
what  can  be  done,"  said  he. 

On  leaving  his  office  I  was  joined  by  the  dentist  who  had 
given  me  a  "  straight  tip  "  on  the  trail,  and  he  asked  if  I  had 
staked  those  claims,  but  I  told  him  that  I  was  just  about  to 
record  .something  better.     He  reminded  me  of  his  request  to^ 

be  introduced  to  M ,  and  was  disappointed  to  know  that 

the  latter  had  started  off  to  Sulphur.     I  next  met  W , 

who  accompanied  me  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Companj-, 
which  was  just  closing  its  door  for  the  noon  luncheon,  so  we 
sat  outside  on  the  board  walk  until  the  sound  of  an  incoming 
steamer  roused  the  crowd  and  we  all  walked  towards  the 
wharf. 

Four  steamers  are  in  together.  The  harbour  is  becoming 
very  gay,  and  the  "  Chee  Charkers  "  numerous.  We  went 
to  the  office  of  the  Johnson-Locke  Company  to  see  if  we 


A  New  Scheme  243 

could  get  news  of  the  Tillamock  and  our  stores.  They 
knew  nothing  of  the  Tillamook,  but  said  that  the  Rideoiit, 
the  Company's  river-boat,  was  reported  at  Circle  City  three 
days  ago,  and  was  likelj'  to  be  here  in  forty-eight  hours. 
Our  hopes  are  now  high  that  we  will  soon  be  off  short  rations 
and  living  in  luxury.     "What  day  for  the  big  dinner?" 

asked  M and  R as  we  met  them  and  told  them  the 

good  news.     Mr.  L, S then  joined  us  ;  he  had  been 

"  in  "  for  ten  days,  and  advised  us  not  to  remain  later  than 
the  middle  of  September  if  we  did  not  wish  to  be  frozen  in. 
He  opened  a  fine  illustrated  paper,  Klondike  Edition,  with 
pictures  of  the  Bonanza  Kings,  and  as  we  looked  over  his 
shoulders  and  criticised,  a  crowd  soon  formed  in  a  semicircle 
close  behind  us,  for  the  sheet  cost  one  dollar,  and  many  had 
not  that  amount  to  pay. 
One  o'clock,  and  time  for  the  Record  Office  to  open,  so 

\V accompanied  me  there.     Being  a  woman,  I  had  the 

privilege  of  entering  the  little  side  door  into  the  small  ante- 
room, where  my  escort  and  I  seated  ourselves  on  a  bench, 
and  waited  for  the  window  to  open.     One  of  the  ofiicials  said 

in  a  gruff  voice  to  W ,  "  You  must  go  to  the  other  door 

and  wait  at  the  end  of  the  line,"  to  which  he  replied  court- 
eously,  "  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  I  have  no  claim  to  record  ; 

I  've  only  come  to  accompany  Mrs.  H ."     The  official 

grunted,  and  whispered  to  one  of  the  women  at  the  desk  that 
no  one  else  should  be  allowed  to  enter  except  on  payment  of 
twenty  dollars.  My  companion  and  I  stole  a  glance  at  each 
other,  and  he  whispered,  "  I  feel  like  one  in  an  intelligence 
office,  waiting  for  a  job,  and  wondering  what  is  going  to 
happen  to  me,  don't  you?" — "Worse  than  that.  I  'm 
afraid  of  not  being  mild  and  servile  enough."  Just  then  a 
nice  young  boy  who  had  been  particularly  courteous  to  me 
on  a  previous  visit,  came  in  my  direction  and  I  said  to  him, 
"  Why  can't  you  record  my  claim  for  me  ?  " — "  Because  the 
fellow  who  does  that  is  bigger  than  I  and  might  put  me  out. 
You  just  go  right  in  and  tell  him  what  you  want.  Don't  be 
afraid.  He  's  ill,  but  he  's  all  right."  So  I  summoned  my 
courage  and  timidly  approached  his  desk,   saying  meekly. 


244         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

"  Won't  j-ou  please  record  mj-  claim  ?  "  "I  'm  not  ready 
for  business  3et,"  he  replied,  not  grufflj',  but  in  such  a  tired 
manner  that  I  felt  sorry  for  him  at  once,  and  said,  "  When 
you  are,  please  let  me  know.  I  shall  be  sitting  on  the  bench 
back  of  you." 

A  few  minutes  later  he  opened  the  window,  and  began 
taking  papers  from  the  men  outside,  apparently  oblivious  of 
my  presence.  My  escort  glanced  at  me  as  though  we  were 
two  naught}'  school  children  being  punished  for  too  much 
presumption,  and  whispered,  "  Why  don't  you  go?  Don't 
you  dare  ? ' '  The  young  woman  at  the  desk  motioned 
"  Now  's  your  chance"  ;  the  nice  young  boy  beckoned,  but 
still  I  was  afraid,  and  said,  "  He  told  me  he  would  let  me 
know  when  business  was  about  to  begin." — "  You  '11  have 
to  wait  all  day,  if  you  don't  stand  right  up  to  him,"  so  with 
a  mighty  effort  I  once  more  approached  the  great  man,  who 
did  look  so  ill,  writing  with  one  hand  and  supporting  his  head 
by  the  other  ;  I  felt  that  I  might  be  contrary,  too,  shut  up  in 
that  office  with  a  throbbing  head.  "  Well,"  said  he,  turn- 
ing to  me  as  he  finished  with  Number  One  on  the  line.  "  I 
want  to  record  No.  — ,  Quartz  Creek,  Indian  River  Dis- 
trict, please."  "  There  are  four  contestants  for  that  claim 
already,"  said  he,  referring  to  his  book,  "  four  Swedes." — 
"  But  if  they  have  not  had  it  recorded,  why  can't  I?" 
"  How  can  I  do  it  for  you,  if  I  can't  for  them  ?  "  snapped  he. 
"  It  's  got  to  be  resurveyed.  You  'd  only  lose  your  fifteen 
dollars,  as  well  as  your  rights  in  that  district." — "  Oh,  I  'm 
not  going  to  fight  four  poor  miners,  so  let  it  go,  and  record 
No. — ,  Bear  Creek." — "Which  side?  Upper  or  lower? 
Next  Gulch  ?  "  Having  answered  all  these  questions  sat- 
isfactorilj'  I  was  just  congratulating  myself  that  at  last  I 
was  to  receive  the  bit  of  paper  entitling  me  to  another  claim 
in  the  Klondike,  when  he  said,  "  Where  's  your  miner's  cer- 
tificate ?  "  "It  is  No.  — ,"  said  I,  pleasantly.  "But 
where  is  it  ?  " — "  Wh}-,  I  did  n't  bring  it  with  me  ;  I  got  it 
only  a  few  weeks  ago  from  the  young  man  at  that  window  ; 
he  cnn  tell  you  that  it  's  all  right."  "  But  I  must  have  it 
to  record  this  deed."     Then  in  despair  I  cried  out,  "  How 


A  New  Scheme  245 

can  I  tell  all  that  3'ou  want  in  this  office  ?  You  should  pub- 
lish a  set  of  rules  and  regulations.  I  took  the  trouble  to 
come  all  the  way  from  West  Dawson  last  week  and  after 
losing  a  whole  afternoon  and  answering  a  thousand  and  one 
questions,  because  I  could  n't  tell  j'ou  on  which  tier  I  had 
staked,  5'ou  sent  me  back  to  get  my  lesson  over  again,  and 
now  you  want  me  to  go  all  the  way  back  to  get  my  certifi- 
cate, when  I  bought  it  right  here  in  this  very  office  from 
that  young  man,  who  can  tell  you  so." 

This  outburst  completely  astonished  his  royal  highness, 
and  evidently  fearing  that  I  was  about  to  burst  into  tears, 
he  .said  quickly,  "  All  right,  all  right  ;  here  's  your  paper, 
and  3'ou  can  send  j-our  certificate  to-morrow."  I  breathed 
a  sigh  of  relief,  clutched  the  slip,  presented  my  fifteen  dollars, 
and  was  about  to  walk  out  in  triumph  when  a  stern  voice 
said,  "  Goto  the  next  desk  and  hand  in  3'our  paper."  This 
official,  however,  was  so  kind  that  I  felt  restored  to  peace 
with  the  world  again,  and  was  most  grateful  to  him  for  the 
pleasant  words  addressed  to  me,  but  became  despondent  as 
he  finished  and  said,  "  Next  desk,  please."  I  raised  my 
eyes,  caught  a  jileasant  glance,  and  all  was  smooth  sailing 
until  the  question,  "  On  what  date  did  you  stake  these 
claims?" — "Why,  I  don't  remember."  "Can't  you  tell 
me  approximately?"  he  asked.  His  encouraging  smile 
helped  me  so  that  I  was  able  to  say,  "  We  .started  on  the  trail 
on  Monday  the  fifteenth,  and  got  back  late  Friday  night."-- 
"  It  must  have  been  about  Wednesday,  then,  was  it  not  ?  " 
And,  this  stumbling-block  removed,  I  heard  him  repeating 
(as  he  wrote)  something  of  which  I  onl}'  caught,  "  Best  of 
my  knowledge  and  belief,"  "  Signs  of  gold,"  and  as  he  wrote 
the  last  word  he  held  up  a  book  of  which  I  did  not  see  the 
name  and  said,  "  Touch  it."  I  only  remember  saying, 
"  That  's  all  right,"  signing  my  name,  handing  over  the 
fifteen  dollars  which  had  been  burning  a  hole  in  my  pocket, 
saying  "  good  morning,"  and  then  rushing  out  to  my  escort 
with  a  "  Thank  the  Lord  it  's  all  over,  and  now  I  'm  a  mil- 
lionaire claim-owner,  but  poor  Miss  V will  have  to  go 

through  with  this  ordeal  to-morrow."    "  Well,  by  Jove  !  I  '11 


246         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

never  stake  a  claim  if  I  've  got  to  stand  in  line  and  be  treated 

like  that,"  said  VV .     "  It  makes  one's  blood  boil,  and 

I  'm  not  going  to  be  fleeced  out  of  twenty  dollars  for  private 
admission,  either." 

As  we  walked  down  Dawson's  Main  Street,  we  were  joined 

bj'  F and  C ,  and  had  a  pleasant  little  chat,  the  latter 

being  out  for  the  first  time  after  quite  an  illness.  They  both 
expressed  a  desire  to  pa}'  us  a  visit,  but  as  the}'  owned  no 
boat  it  was  rather  a  difficult  thing  to  do.  We  stopped  at  a 
butcher's  and  bought  kidneys  at  one  dollar  a  pound,  then 
went  to  the  laundry  to  inquire  why  our  linen  had  not  been 
returned.  Same  old  reason — no  boat.  We  met  a  lot  of  the 
"  boys,"  who  said,  "  Mr.  Jones  has  been  hunting  all  over 
Dawson  for  j'ou,  and  thinks  you  've  gone  back."  "  Let  me 
row  you  over,"  said  the  Doctor."  "  No,  I  asked  first," 
interrupted  J — —  ;  but  as  they  were  discussing  the  question 
Jones  appeared,  and  whispered,  "  Whenever  yer  gits  through 
with  yer  dude  friends,  John  's  ready  to  take  yer  back."  So 
they  escorted  me  down  the  embankment  to  the  boat.  Hardly 
were  we  out  of  hearing  when  my  good  boatman  said,  "  I 
knowed  yer  had  a  date  with  that  there  red  necktie  (W — — ). 
I  never  give  anybody  as  many  boat-rides  as  I  give  you,  an' 
yer  shakes  me  ez  soon  ez  yer  gits  on  the  other  side."     We 

found  E being  entertained  by  Mr.  T ,  whom  she  left 

to  prepare  luncheon  for  the  weary  tramps  from  town.     Hardly 

were  we  seated  ere  Mr.  H arrived,  followed  by  Dr.  C 

and  W ,  who  all  remained  to  prepare  dinner  for  us.     Each 

one  had  a  special  dish  to  cook,  while  I,  as  usual,  prepared 
the  table.  Our  piece  de  resistance  was  kidneys  stewed  with 
sherry,  over  which  great  satisfaction  was  expressed. 

After  our  guests  had  washed  the  dishes  and  put  the  kitchen 
in  fine  order  we  settled  in  steamer  chairs  and  on  boxes,  warmly 
wrapped,  to  relate  startling  tales.  Just  then  Von  M ap- 
peared, saying,  "  I  've  got  lots  to  tell  you,  but  I  'm  starving 
and  must  first  go  and  get  supper  ;  just  thought  I  'd  stop  at 
your  tent  to  say  I 'm  coming  back."  "  Nonsense  !"  wecried; 
"  we  've  finished  dinner  and  there  's  nothing  left  but  some 
bread  and  butter  ;  how  would  sardines  and  a  cup  of  coffee  go 


A  New  Scheme 


247 


with  that?" 


Fine  !  what  luck  !  vou  are  sure  vou  don't 


mind  ?  "  "  Sit  down  and  stop  talking  and  you  '11  have  all 
you  can  eat  in  a  jifFy !  "  So  he  was  handed  a  tin  of  sardines 
with  half  a  dozen  slices  of  bread  and  butter.  K — • —  then 
came  in,  saj'ing,  "  Do  3'ou  mind  lending  me  my  bread-board 
for  a  little  while?  My  bread  's  all  ready  for  it."  We 
asked  him  to  sit  down,  but  he  refused,  fearing  that  his  bread 


#'%. 


PREPARING   DINNER 


would  spoil,  and  off  he  went,  thanking  us  "  for  the  loan  "  of 
his  own  board.     He  soon  brought  it  back,  however,  and  we 

gathered  around  Von  M to  hear  his  experiences. 

"  I  've  been  to  every  hall  in  town.     I  've  talked  to  every 
proprietor,  and  have  just  finished  a  conversation  of  two  hours 

with .     I  asked  him  how  much  he  would  pay  me  to  bring 

such  an  attraction  to  his  theatre  ;  he  said  he  would  furnish 
hall  and  lights,  and  expect  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  net  proceeds. 


248         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

We  can  get  the  Pioneer  Hall  for  fiftj'  dollars  a  night  and 
probably  for  less  if  we  take  if  for  aiij-  length  of  time,  but 
that  's  off  the  Main  Street.  It  would  be  better  to  pay  twice 
as  much  on  the  principal  street  where  crowds  congregate. 
We  can  have  Pioneer  Hall  from  2  p.m.  to  2  a.m.,  whereas  the 
man  who  wants  half-profits  can  let  us  have  the  theatre  only 
from  2  to  6  p.m."  "  Oh,  that  's  absurd,"  we  cried  ;  "  we  to 
bring  out  the  most  expensive  outfit  to  be  had  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, to  have  all  the  trouble  of  selecting,  learning  to  run  it, 
learning  to  prepare  lime-light,  paying  freight,  dutj',  etc.,  and 
he  to  have  fiftj-  per  cent.  Should  n't  dream  of  it  for  an  in- 
stant," and  so  we  discussed  the  matter  and  looked  over  the 
magic-lantern  slides. 

"What  shall  we  call  our  companj' ?  "  said  one.  "It 
must  have  a  grand  name,  seeing  that  it  is  to  be  run  by  aris- 
tocrats of  America  and  England,"   said  W .     "  What 

a  lark  it  will  be  !  What  would  our  people  at  home  say  ? ' ' — ■ 
"  They  all  know  we  're  not  here  for  our  health,  and  if  this  is 
better  than  a  gold  mine,  why  should  we  have  any  fal.se  pride 
about  it  ?  "  "  False  pride,  ridiculous  !  "  I  cried;  "  I  shall  be 
a  thousand  times  more  proud  of  going  back  with  an  inex- 
haustible sack  of  gold  earned  b}'  my  own  efforts  than  if  the 
winter  had  been  passed  in  idleness  in  New  York,  Paris,  or 
London.  I  'm  ready  to  work  in  such  good  company,  and 
I  'm  proud  of  it.  Besides,  the  poor  fellows  who  are  shut  up 
here  and  have  had  no  chance  to  see  and  scarcely  to  read 
anything  of  the  war,  ought  to  be  able  to  see  the  processions 
of  soldiers  on  the  way  to  Manila,  the  funeral  of  the  Maine 
victims,  the  pictures  of  our  heroes — and  it  will  be  a  great 
pleasure  to  show  an  animatoscope  to  them."     "  I  want  to 

work,  too,"  said  E .     "  I  just  want  to  show  my  family 

that  I  know  how  to  do  something  and  it  would  be  a  proud 
moment  for  me  to  carrj'  home  a  bag  of  mj-  own  earnings — 
and  I  want  it  all  in  gold  dust,  too."  As  we  talked  and  dis- 
cussed, the  time  passed  so  rapidly  that  midnight  came  before 
we  were  aware,  and  there  was  a  general  stampede  to  boats 
by  those  who  lived  in  Dawson,  and  to  cabins  by  their  fashion- 
able occupants  in  West  Dawson. 


A  New  Scheme  249 

Wednesday,  August  24th. 
Breakfast  finished,  our  kind  neighbour  Jones  rowed  E 


to  Dawson  at  ten  o'clock  to  record  her  claims  and  attend  to 

commissions.     As  they  left,  Miner  C appeared,  saying, 

"  I  've  been  down  to  look  at  the  claims  belonging  to  you 
ladies  near  Bonanza,  and  have  come  to  see  about  working 
them  for  j'ou.  I  'm  going  out  prospecting  to-morrow,  and 
if  I  find  anything  good  shall  let  you  know  before  an3'one  else 
gets  a  chance  to  stake." 

Jones  soon  returned,  saying,  "  I  left  one  of  my  children 
over  in  Dawson  and  cum  back  for  to  get  lunch  for  the  other, 
coz  I  knew  she  'd  starve  to  death  or  die  o'  thirst  before  she  'd 
hft  her  hands  to  git  anything  for  herself"  and  so  the  kind 
fellow  made  a  fire,  prepared  a  nice  luncheon,  and  laid  the 
table,  while  I  tried  to  continue  my  oft-interrupted  journal. 
"Are  you  thirsty?"  said  he.  "Awfully,"  and  down  he 
rushed  to  the  spring  with  a  bucket  and  on  return  filled  me  a 
tin  cup  of  the  delicious  beverage.     L,uncheon  finished,  Mr. 

T arrived  with  a  Mr.  B ,  who  was  anxious  to  have 

our  bowling  alley  and  animatoscope,  and  wanted  to  know 
what  terms  we  would  make.  I  said  we  were  not  making 
terms,  but  were  willing  to  consider  all  bids  placed  before  us 
during  the  week,  with  the  intention  of  accepting  the  most 

advantageous.     Mr.  B requested  permis.sion  to  be  allowed 

to  put  in  his  bid,  and  towards  evening  it  came  in  the  follow- 
ing form  : 

"  Dawson,  August  23d,  1898. 
"  L,ADiES— I  have  the  honour  to  submit  the  following  bid, 
viz.  :  For  some  time  past  I  have  been  meditating  upon  the 
feasibility  of  taking  charge  of  your  bowling  alley  and  kineto- 
scope.  I  have  canvassed  the  town  thoroughly  for  a  suitable 
location  and  find  I  can  secure  one  in  a  most  desirable  part 
for  one  thousand  dollars  a  month,  but,  as  a  security  for  mov- 
ing in,  will  have  to  pay  three  months  in  advance.  I  have 
also  figured  very  closely  upon  the  expenses  of  running  such 
an  enterprise,  which  are  no  small  matter.  There  will  be  a 
large  expense  fitting  up,  etc.,  and  the  most  fair  proposition  I 


250         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

can  place  before  j'OU,  is  to  take  full  charge  of  your  business, 
pay  all  expenses,  give  you  a  suitable  bond  to  cover  the  value 
of  the  appurtenances,  etc.,  and  also  give  j-ou  sixty-five  per 
cent,  of  the  net  receipts.  If  you  find  it  necessary  that  you 
should  leave  this  winter,  your  profits  and  .share  can  be 
turned  over  to  your  agent  or  any  bank  daily — vouchers  at- 
tached. If  at  any  time  you  wished  to  be  realised,  you  will 
have  the  privilege  by  giving  me  ten  days'  notice.  If  others 
can  make  a  more  sincere  offer  I  am  at  a  loss  to  know  how  it 
can  be  done. 

"  Most  respectfully  submitted, 

"R.  B." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  it,  Mrs.  H ?"  said  K . 

"  I  think  it  is  a  matter  not  to  be  decided  upon  before  the 

end  of  the  week.     What  do  you  saj-,  E ?" — "Quite 

agree  with  you.  We  '11  wait  for  all  the  propositions,  which 
are  to  be  submitted  to  us  this  week."  "  They  can't  be  bet- 
ter than  B 's,"  said  K ,  "  as  he  expects  to  turn  in  to 

you  at  least  from  eight  thousand  to  twelve  thousand  dollars 
a  month,  and  you  '11  not  have  a  penny  of  expense."  "  We 
cannot  decide  before  Saturday,"  we  replied,  and  so  the  inter- 
view ended.     It  was  after  four  when  E returned.     She 

had  recorded  her  first  claim,  had  been  invited  to  luncheon  at 

the  Regina  Cafe  by  Dr.  C ,  had  held  a  reception  all  along 

Main  Street,  being  stopped  at  ever}^  corner,  and  was  glad  to 
get  back  to  our  easj'  chairs  and  to  the  quiet  of  our  tent. 

Our  next  visitors  were  J and  L ,  the  latter  having 

just  arrived  from  Circle  City  for  a  day  or  two  in  Dawson. 
Ivan  welcomed  him  gladlj-,  and  we  were  pleased  to  see  the 
fellow-passenger  who  had  given  us  our  first  oranges  and 
lemons  and  loaned  us  a  fur  robe,  which  he  said  again  he 
should  not  need  or  want  us  to  return  until  we  were  quite 
ready  to  depart.  He  tried  to  persuade  us  to  move  to  the 
American  side  and  settle  in  Circle  or  at  Eagle  City,  promis- 
ing that  we  should  be  well  looked  out  for  ;  but  our  interests 
are  growing  here,  in  man}'  directions,  and  to  leave  at  all 
will  be  difficult. 


A  New  Scheme 


2^1 


"  A  new  cook  has  come  to  get  your   supper   for   you," 

shouted  a  cheery  voice  at  the  door,  and  jolly  M made 

his  appearance.     "  There  ain't  nobody  going  to  cook  supper 
for  tliese  ladies  while  John  's  here  for  to  do  it,"  said  Jones, 


CROSSING  THE   YUKON. 


"  SO  you  can  just  sit  down  and  talk  while  Miss  V tells 

me  what  she  wants  done.  As  for  that  little  one,  she  don't 
know  how  to  cook  nothin',  nohow,  an'  if  she  ain't  writin'  all 
the  time  .she  talks  so  fast  that  nobody  kin  .stop  her,  an'  it  's 
better  for  you  to  listen  to  her  than  us  to  be  bothered  with  her," 
added  Jones,  casting  side  glances  to  see  that  I  thoroughly 


252         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

understood  that  he  was  "joshing,"  as  he  calls  it.  "  I  've 
brought  my  sewing  with  me,"  said  M ,  as  he  com- 
menced to  cut  the  cords  from  his  "  parquis,"  and  asked  for 
strong  thread  with  which  to  sew  on  new  ones,  "  so  ^-ou  go 
on  with  your  writing  while  I  sew."  "  Just  the  time  for  you 
to  dictate  that  story  to  me,  then,  of  the  experience  you  had 
with  the  thieves,"  so  I  wrote  down  the  following  true  tale 
of  M 's  personal  experience  : 

Lynching  at  Sheep  Camp,  as  Told  by  a  Miner 

"  This  is  not  a  '  yarn,'  but  merely  a  true  outline  of  Sheep 
Camp  in  January,  1898.  Sheep  Camp  was  so  called  because 
no  one,  unless  he  had  the  brains  of  a  sheep,  would  think  of 
staying  there,  so  when  our  little  caravan  pulled  out  of  the 
narrow  caiion  into  the  broader  valley,  which  drew  all  the 
wind  in  creation  down  its  funnel-like  length,  our  first  thought 
was  for  shelter,  which  offered  itself  in  the  shape  of  a  new 
cabin  alongside  of  which  we  pitched  our  tent.  What  a  nasty 
place  that  was,  menaced  by  a  great  blue  glacier  that  hung 
high  on  the  mountain  above  us  !  Pinched  by  the  cold  and 
beaten  by  the  wind,  we  dragged  out  several  weeks,  tugging 
our  stuff  to  the  summit.  At  that  time  of  the  year,  few  were 
sturdy  enough  in  heart  to  attempt  that  work  which  has 
broken  man}'  spirits  ere  now.  When  one  had  staggered  to 
the  top  and  flung  down  his  fifty  pounds,  he  felt  that  he  had 
at  least  earned  his  bread.  And  what  a  great  lump  it  was  to 
swallow,  after  taking  his  last  load  to  the  '  divide,'  to  find 
that  someone  had  been  before  him,  and  stolen  everything  ! 
One  would  sink  in  the  snow  to  curse  his  Maker,  while  an- 
other would  pray.  Many  a  time  had  it  happened,  and  never 
a  trace  of  the  thieves.  The  wind  blew  fair  and  cold  from 
the  north  on  the  26th,  when  we  reached  the  summit,  and 
found  a  friend  of  the  trail,  an  old  man  of  sixty-five  at  least, 
kneeling  in  the  snow,  bj'  a  trampled,  soiled  spot,  where  his 
provisions  had  once  been.  He  could  not  believe  that  his 
entire  outfit  had  been  taken.  The  poor  old  man  seemed 
dazed  with  his  cruel  misfortune,  and  determined  to  remain 
where  he  was  and  end  his  misery  by  freezing  to  death. 


A  New  Scheme  253 

"  Laz)-,  sleepy  Sheep  Camp  rose  in  a  bod}-  of  indignation, 

to  avenge  this  last  outrage.     J ,  a  j'oung  Swede  of  about 

twenty  years  of  age,  one  of  those  thin,  pink-skinned,  fair- 
haired  and  white-eyebrowed  chaps,  was  caught  early  next 
morning,  drawing  a  sled,  which  was  identified  as  the  property 
of  a  man  named  P . 

"  During  the  autumn,  P had  tried  to  cross  the  Lakes 

before  they  were  frozen,  but  on  finding  that  it  was  too  late 
he  cached  his  outfit  below  Sheep  Camp,  leaving  his  partner 
and  a  hired  man  to  freight  it  to  the  summit,  while  he  re- 
turned to  Juneau  on  business.  The  following  month,  the 
weather  proved  so  bad  and  sledding  so  uncertain,  that  his 
partner  dismissed  the  hired  man  and  started  in  business  for 
himself.  Several  months  later,  on  going  to  the  cache  to  get 
some  needed  articles,  he  discovered  that  a  thief  had  taken  the 
'  whole   cheese. '      He   wrote   a   '  harum-scarum '    letter   to 

P ,  stating  the  turn  matters  had  taken,  and  added  that 

he  suspected  a  man  who  had  just  gone  over  the  summit,  and 

whom  he  intended  to  track.     Of  course  P thought  that 

his  partner  had  robbed  him,  not  believing  the  story  told,  and 
left  the  country  in  disgust.  When  C (the  partner)  re- 
turned after  a  fruitless  search  for  the  thief,  he  was  most  in- 
dignant at  the  way  P had  talked  about  him,  and  swore 

to  clear  himself  and  find  the  culprit,  even  if  it  were  '  the  last 
act  of  a  misspent  life.'  Months  went  by  without  any  further 
developments,  until  this  poor  old  man  was  robbed,  and  then 

it  was  that  C ,  in  great  excitement,  stuck  his  head  in  the 

flap  of  our  tent,  and  with  many  gesticulations  told  us  all  his 
troubles. 

"  I  was  then  and  there  deputed  with  three  other  men,  to 

go  up  the  trail,   and   arrest  J 's  two  partners,    W • 

W and  a  man  named  G .     It  was  perfectly  asinine, 

now  that  I  look  back  upon  it — we  four,  moseying  up  unarmed 
to  arrest  two  men  of  whom  we  knew  nothing,  but  neverthe- 
less in  we  marched.  Their  little  tent,  almost  hidden  beneath 
the  snow,  was  shipshape  and  plainly  bespoke  the  sailor. 
The}'  were  so  deuced  polite,  and  so  sorry  that  any  mistake 
had  been  made,  that  I  felt  quite  ashamed  of  my  errand,  and 


^54         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

apologised  so  profusely  that  I  quite  forgot  to  see  whether 
they  were  armed.     All  the  way  into  camp  I  walked  beside 

W ,  chatting  pleasanth%  my  anger  of  the  morning  having 

entirely  passed  awaj',  and  the  sight  of  a  crowd  of  men  and 
women  awaiting  our  return  took  me  by  surprise.  In  a  mo- 
ment we  were  being  borne  along  by  the  mob,  and  were 
crowded  into  the  '  Tent  Saloon.'  The  queer  structure  con- 
sisted of  a  wooden  frame  and  board  sides,  with  a  huge  tent 
drawn  over  it.  Already  the  sun  had  sunk  low,  and  but  little 
of  the  twilight  filtered  through  the  grimy  canvas.     Crouched 

in  a  corner  sat  J ,  looking  so  meek  and  innocent  that  the 

presence  of  judge  and  jurors,  sitting  in  the  gathering  gloom, 
seemed  almost  a  farce.  Before  the  prisoners  had  time  even 
to  exchange  a  glance,  the  judge  appointed  guards  for  each, 
and  sent  two  of  them  in  different  directions,  leaving  the  third 

(J )  to  be  tried  alone.      I  can  see  him  now,  as  he  sat  on 

the  bar,  above  the  crowd,  surrounded  by  bottles  filled  from 
the  same  keg,  but  labelled  differently,  unwashed  glasses, 
and  a  background  of  soiled  white  paper.  Then  the  great 
kerosene  lamp  was  lit,  casting  its  harsh  light  straight  at  the 
accused.  All  this  left  a  vivid  and  never-to-be-forgotten  im- 
pression upon  uiy  mind. 

"  J stated  that  he  and  his  partner  had  bought  the  out- 
fit in  Skaguay  and  had  brought  it  over  in  a  small  boat  to 

Dyea,  where  the}'  had  met  G ,  who  had  been  shipmate 

with  them  on  the  Orcgo/i,  and,  although  he  had  no  outfit, 

they  had  taken  him  in  on  partnership.     G was  the  next 

to  be  questioned,   and,   unlike  J ,   the   poor  devil  was 

frightened  to  death.      His  story  came  in  a  jerky,  truthful 

way,  and  although  it  did  not  jibe  with  J 's,  it  was  hard 

to  believe  that  either  fellow  was  lying.  He  had  joined  them 
at  Dyea,  where  they  were  in  camp,  and  having  no  outfit  they 
suggested  that  theirs  was  so  large  that  they  might  divide  ; 
so,  bright  and  early,  the  worst  daj'  in  the  past  month,  thej^ 
all  three  had  moved  the  entire  cache  about  a  mile.  He  de- 
scribed the  place  where  he  first  found  the  cache,  which  was 
identical  with  the  one  where  the  stolen  goods  had  been. 
Further  than  that  he  knew  nothing,  save  that  they  did  not 


A  New  Scheme  255 

go  to  the  cache  for  two  months  and  that  his  partners  had 
incidentallj'  told  him  that  they  had  bought  their  outfit  in 
Skaguay.  The  plot  thickened  ;  and  there  was  quite  a  mur- 
mur of  excitement  when  W was  brought  to  the  bar — 

'  bar  '  in  more  senses  than  one.     \V 's  stor}'  varied  little 

from  the  first  one,  save  in  details  of  where  the  transaction 
had  taken  place,  and  the  manner  of  bringing  it  from  one  town 

to  the  other.     G was  again  brought  in  and  asked  some 

leading  questions  before  W .  Their  eyes  met  for  an  in- 
stant, and  then  G said  in  a  faltering  way  that  he  had 

told  the  whole  truth,  and  nothing  but  the  truth.     \V 

was  led  from  the  saloon,  and  as  he  went,  he  whispered  to 

his  guard,  '  We  've  been  shipmates,  me  an'  G ,  an'   he 

done  me  a  good  turn  once,  so  I  want  to  say,  that  no  matter 

what  they  do  to  J and  me,  G joined  us  after  the 

supposed  crooked  work  happened.' 

"  In  the  street,  there  was  a  motley  crowd,  all  '  rubber- 
necking '  to  see  the  accused,  and  murmuring  like  the  Roman 
mob  in  Casar,  or  as  at  a  woman's  tea.  It  was  clear,  and 
colder  than  before,  with  every  star  shining  bright.  The  little 
gorge  or  valley  seemed  like  a  deep  crease  in  a  nurse's  white 
apron,   and   the   glowworm-like   tents   mingled   their   light 

with  the  stars'  from  their  burrows  in  the  snow.     As  W 

passed  through  the  crowd,  he  caught  sight  of  a  man  holding 
a  rope  in  his  hand,  standing  in  a  corner  with  a  lantern.      '  It 

looks  pretty  d d  bad, '  he  said,  and  walked  on  half  a  block 

without  a  word.  Suddenly,  without  the  slightest  warning, 
he  whipped  out  a  pistol,  fired  at  his  attendant,  and  fled  down 
the  trail.  He  had  evidently  missed  his  mark,  for  there  was 
the  patter  of  moccasined  feet  close  behind  him,  and  he  fired 
again  over  his  shoulder.  The  pursuer  fell  headlong  into 
the  soft  snow  at  the  side  of  the  trail.  Another  shot  rang 
sharply  on  the  air,  a  flash  of  light  which  showed  the  criminal, 
standing  for  an  instant,  then  swaying,  then  came  the  sound 
of  a  heavy,  limp  body  as  it  fell  in  the  half-frozen  pathway. 
He  had  shot  himself  in  the  head,  the  ball  entering  between 
the  e}-ebrows.  When  his  guard  had  tripped  and  fallen,  he 
had  evidently  thought  that  he  had  killed  him,  and  seeing 


256         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

how  hopeless  his  attempt  at  escape  would  be,  had  ended  the 
matter,  that  is,  as  far  as  he  could. 

"  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  J had  been  turned 

back  from  the  Dj'ea  and  Skaguaj*  trials  the  previous  year 
for  larcenj',  sympathy  was  aroused  in  his  favour  and  there 
were  those  who  even  dared  talk  against  lynching.     The  jurj' 

returned  with  the  verdict,  '  J guilty,'  and  reconnnended 

a  near-by  tree.     G was  '  not  guilty,'  and  therefore  to  go 

scot-free.  The  tent  was  '  cram-jam  to  popping,'  but  each 
word  came  as  distinctly  as  though  it  had  been  spoken  in  an 
emptj-  room.  Then  again,  that  murmur  of  conflicting  opin- 
ions. At  least  a  dozen  different  punishments  were  sug- 
gested without  approval.  A  clergyman  held  up  his  hand 
and  gave  a  so-called  humane  speech — recommending  '  flog- 
ging.' One  life  had  been  taken  that  night,  and  it  seemed  to 
have  awed  the  assembled  multitude,  so,  after  some  discus- 
sion, it  was  decided  that  at  noon,  next  day,  fifty  strokes 
should  be  given  with  a  lash  on  the  bare  shoulders. 

"  It  was  almost  light  again  and  the  last  candle  had  gone 
out  in  that  '  glowworm  village.'  Down  at  the  foot  of  a  hill, 
two  men  were  building  a  coffin  ;  another  was  lettering  a 
head-board  : 

W W 

Age  27. 

But  the  interest  was  beyond,  where,  in  a  log-cabin,  lay  the 
new  victim,  in  appearance  absolutely  unconcerned.  The 
room  was  dark  and  close.  Men  shuffled  in  and  shuffled  out. 
A  woman  was  moving  some  tin  dishes  about  in  a  great  pan 
at  the  end  of  the  room,  while  in  another  corner  sat  a  man 
busily  engaged  in  binding  a  double  rope  to  a  stout  club. 
Noon  came  and  went,  and  there  was  some  talk  of  weakening. 
Half  an  hour  later,  however,  J was  led  out,  placed  be- 
fore a  tall  post,  and  ordered  to  strip  to  the  waist.  I  never 
saw  so  many  shirts  in  my  life.  They  kept  coming  off,  one 
after  another,  like  the  shells  on  a  Japanese  puzzle.  I  love  to 
be  in  a  fight,  and  don't  mind  a  black  eye,  or  a  few  teeth  shj', 
but  I  did  n't  like  the  idea  of  a  man  not  having  an  even  show, 
so  I '  mu.shed  '  (disappeared).     There  was  a  horrible  fascina- 


A  New  Scheme  257 

tion  about  it,  however,  and  the  man  was  hardi}'  lashed  to 
the  pole  before  I  was  skirting  the  crowd,  trj-ing  to  peer  over 
their  heads.     From  the  top  of  a  lumber  pile,  I  saw  the  first 

blow  descend,  and  J sprang  up  the  pole,  like  the  monkey 

on  the  stick.  Two  great  purple  stripes  showed  against  the 
clear  white  skin,  leaving  each  twist  and  thread  like  a  print. 
Mj-  chicken  heart  failed  me,  and  I  turned  my  back.  I  heard 
the  rope  wind  itself  about  the  fine-cut  shoulders  once  or 
twice,  without  any  other  sound,  then  came  a  cry  like  that 
of  some  wild  beast  in  agony.  I  drove  my  fingers  in  my  ears, 
but  nothing  has  ever  shut  out  that  one  inhuman  shriek  that 
echoed  down  the  valley  and  was  repeated  several  times.  At 
the  tenth  stroke  I  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  without  much 
trouble  pushed  through  the  crowd,  5'elling,  '  Enough  ! 
enough  !  '  like  a  schoolboy.  There  was  some  excitement  as 
I  told  a  friend  what  I  thought  on  the  subject,  then  a  doctor 

interfered,  and  said  that  J had  had  about  as  much  as  he 

could  endure.     After  enjoying  a  huge  meal,  J strolled 

down  the  trail  bearing  a  large  sign,  '  Pass  me  along,  I  am  a 
thief.'  And  so  is  justice  administered  by  miners.  An  hour 
later,  through  the  fast-falling  snow,  a  thin,  scrawny  bay 
horse  passed,  drawing  a  sled  with  a  pine  box  on  it.  I,ess 
than  a  dozen  men  followed  it  to  the  spot  where  it  was  de- 
posited in  the  frozen  ground.  When  the  coSiu  had  been 
lowered,  a  young  man  standing  at  the  end  of  the  grave 
knelt  for  an  instant.  As  he  rose  he  made  a  .short  address. 
No  one  knew  the  rca/  name  of  the  man  who  had  just  been 
buried  or  where  his  poor  mother  lived.  Perhaps  it  was  just 
as  well. ' ' 

As  M ended  his  pathetic  tale,  Jones,  dish-towel  in  one 

hand  and  pan  in  the  other,  shouted,  "  That  's' right,  that  's 
just  the  way  it  happened,  coz  I  wuz  there,  an'  I  got  a  piece 
o'  the  rope  wot  they  lashed  him  with,  an'  I  '11  give  a  bit  of 
it  to  you  two  ladies  if  3-ou  want  to  take  it  out  with  yer,  coz 
it  never  brought  me  no  luck  nohow." 

Supper  was  soon  on  the  table,  consisting  of  beef  soup, 
chops   and   desiccated  potatoes,   rice   cakes,   macaroni   and 


258         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

cheese,  and  prunes.      Von   I\I came  in  and  we  settled 

down  to  business  and  talked  over  the  big  scheme  which  we 

expect  to  coin  money  for  us.     We  asked  Von  M to  read 

over  B 's  proposition  and  advise  us  from  an  unprejudiced 

standpoint,  but  he  was  square  and  honest  and  said,  "  I 
can't  do  it,  don't  j'ou  see,  because  I  want  it  so  much  myself, 
and  have  such  a  nice  staff  of  assistants  selected  ;  we  are  not 
only  intending  to  work  for  ourselves,  but  to  advance  3-our 
interests,  so  that  it  seems  to  me  that  no  one  else  could  make 
so  much  of  a  success  of  it.  Although  I  've  never  done  any- 
thing of  this  kind  in  my  life,  I  shall  devote  every  moment 
to  it,  and  feel  that  no  one  else  could  do  more."  The  fellow 
had  shown  so  much  energy,  and  spent  so  much  time  over  it, 
that  we  felt  he  really  deserved  the  position.     He  had  secured 

the  option  on  the  O Sisters'  Theatre  from  2  to  6  p.m. 

daily  for  ten  dollars  a  day,  and  was  to  find  out  about  getting 
it  after  the  play  in  the  evening.  He  had  seen  many  others 
and  placed  the  proposition  before  them,  and  was  expecting 
answers  from  all  sides.  He  had  also  seen  the  men  who 
owned  the  raft  and  found  that  lumber  could  be  purchased  at 
one  dollar  a  log,  and  that  the  boys  were  all  willing  to  give 
us  a  "  building  bee,"  so  that  it  now  looks  as  though  we 
should  .soon  lie  able  to  move  from  this  enormous  tent  with  its 
damp  ground  to  a  house  of  our  own. 

Thursday,  August  25th. 
Our  neighbour  Jones  did  not  arrive  this  a.m.  until  ten,, 
consequently  we  were  obliged  to  use  the  oil-stove,  and  had 
no  water  to  drink.  He  had  attended  a  ball  in  town,  and 
was  not  in  the  humour  for  hou.se-building,  but  said  he  might 
be  after  a  few  hours'  sleep,  which  he  went  home  to  enjoy, 
after  having  filled  two  water  buckets  for  us.     Next  came 

Von  M to  find  out  what  we  would  contribute  towards 

the  hall  in  case  he  engaged  it.  He  received  the  following 
list  . 

1  Animatoscope,  gas-bags,  and  all  appurtenances. 

2  dozen  films  of  various  subjects,  ranging  from  the  Maine 
funeral  procession  to  the  Corbett  fight. 


A  New  Scheme  259 

I  Magic  lantern,  with  views  of  naval  heroes,  battle  scenes, 
etc. 

After  Inncheon  our  visitors  were  Dr.  M ,  of  the  army, 

Mr.  H ,  and  John  Jones.     The  former  said  he  was  very 

sorry  to  trouble  us,  but  if  we  no  longer  needed  the  oars  that 

M had  borrowed  for  us,  he  should  be  very  glad  to  have 

them,     "  What  oars  ?  "  said  E ;  "  we  have  but  one  pair, 

and  those  we  purchased  from  M ,  giving  him  six  dollars 

for  them."  "  Are  you  not  mistaken  ?  "  said  the  Doctor  ;  "  he 
came  to  me,  said  you  wanted  them  only  for  a  short  time,  and 

would  soon  return  them."     E immediately  searched  for 

and  found  the  bill,  to  the  Doctor's  great  astonishment. 
H was  very  anxious  to  have  us  accept  B 's  proposi- 
tion for  the  animatoscope  and  bowling-alley,  but  we  would 
give  no  answer  until  Saturday  night.  Jones  was  going  co 
town,  and  wanted  either  to  give  us  a  "  boat-ride  acrost,"  or 
"  do  commissions"  for  us.  Of  the  latter,  he  was  charged 
with  half  a  dozen  at  least.  After  their  departure,  we  had 
our  first  uninterrupted  hour,  and  my  first  letter  home  since 
arrival  was  written  ;  events  crowd  each  other  so  in  this  small 
place  that  it  has  been  almost  an  impossibility  to  record  the 
half  of  them.  The  letter  written,  there  was  half  an  hour 
before  dinner,  of  which  I  took  advantage  to  pay  a  short  visit 

to  Mrs.  B ,  who  has  not  been  at  all  well.     She  was  as 

entertaining  as  usual,  however,  telling  me  many  stories  of 
the  claims  she  is  accumulating  here  ;  she  ought  to  "  go  out  " 
a  very  wealthy  w'oman.  I  was  frightened  away  by  a  small 
mouse  which  was  so  tame  that  it  insisted  upon  playing  near 

my  feet.     Mrs.  B laughed  at  my  fears,  and  said  that  it 

often  jumped  on  her  bed.     In  telling  E about  it  on  mj- 

return,  K and  Jones  said  it  was  only  a  "  field  mouse," 

and  that  there  were  plenty'  of  them,  which  made  me  decide 
to  keep  Ivan  in  the  little  tent  in  future,  as  long  as  we  are 
only  raised  from  the  ground  by  a  few  pine  boughs. 

After  dinner  Jones  had  planned  to  take  me  down  to  the 
raft  to  select  the  lumber  for  our  cabin,  but  the  poor  fellow 
had  such  an  attack  of  rheumatic  pains  (which  I  wonder  that 
any  one  escapes,  on  account  of  sleeping  so  near  the  damp 


26o 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


ground)  that  we  sent  him  home  earlj-.  Before  leaving  he 
said,  "  Now  that  j'ou  ladies  knows  me  so  well,  and  what  a 
good  disposition  I  have,  why  can't  j-ou  bring  me  a  wife 
when  you  come  back  next  summer  ?  "     "  Well,  I  like  that," 

cried  E ;  ' '  here  he  passes  right  over  our  heads  as  though 

we  were  not  good  enough,  and  asks  us  to  bring  in  someone 

else."      "Now,  Miss  V ,  ain't  you  ashamed  o'  yourself 

to  josh  a  poor  fellow  like  that?  O'  course  neither  o'  you 
ladies  has  never  seen  me  dressed  up  in  store  clothes,  ^nd  you 
don't  know  how  different  I  looks,  but  even  if  I  was  got  up 
in  the  finest  togs  of  London,  I  think  you  'd  both  be  too 
grand  to  want  to  know  poor  John  '  on  the  outside  ' ;  but, 
anyhow,  this  has  been  a  lucky  3-ear  for  me  to  meet  two  such 
beautiful  ladies  as  you,  even  if  you  do  onlj-  want  to  know  me 

up  here."     K helped  E make  her  bread,  and  then 

said  he  had  to  go  back  and  wash  dishes  before  rowing  to 

Dawson  for  Von  M ,  who  had  been  there  all  day  on  our 

business. 


CHAPTER    XXII 

THE    ' '  RIDEOUT  ' '    AT    LAST 

Friday,  August  26th. 

A  COLD,  sunless  morning.  When  I  get  up  at  seven,  in 
order  to  have  a  quiet  hour  for  writing,  the  thermometer 
generally  registers  fifty,  and  gradually  under  the  powerful 
rays  of  the  sun  goes  up  to  seventy  by  the  noon  hour,  but  now 
it  is  below  fifty,  and  this  tent  is  so  enormous  it  is  like  writing 
in  the  open  air.  The  hundreds  of  dogs  that  have  been  bark- 
ing all  night  at  the  sound  of  each  passing  footstep  are  now 
enjoying  a  well-earned  rest,  as  are  others  who  have  been 
kept  awake  by  their  combined  howls  which  make  a  veritable 
pandemonium.  The  onl}'  sound  to  be  heard  is  that  of  the 
saw  which  an  industrious  neighbour  is  using  in  building 
his  log  cabin.  About  a  dozen  cabins  have  been  put  up  dur- 
ing the  few  weeks  we  have  been  here,  and  the  only  place 
left  on  which  to  erect  a  house  is  just  in  front  of  this  tent,  and 
un  the  space  which  it  covers.  We  are  anxious  to  commence, 
as  we  may  not  be  able  to  hold  the  place  much  longer  ;  al- 
though our  neighbours  are  most  kind,  and  glad  to  protect 
our  rights,  still  the  new-comers  are  numerous,  and  must 
have  land  on  which  to  build,  so  we  are  hoping  that  the 
"  boys  "  will  be  able  to  start  work  to-day.  We  fiud  to  our 
sorrow  that  the  ground  we  have  staked  will  encroach  on 
land  upon  which  a  man  dug  a  foundation  some  time  ago  be- 
fore going  "  up  the  creek."  We  are  sorry  to  "jump  it," 
but  the  law  allows  us  50  x  100  feet  and  the  neighbours  saj- 
that  his  four  logs  laid  along  his  excavation  "  cut  no  figure," 

261 


262         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

as  it  is  the  first  house  up  which  counts,  and  we  must  be 
under  a  solid  roof  soon  or  go  back  doubled  up  with  rheuma- 
tism. Poor  fellow  !  we  do  not  know  him  and  his  partner, 
but  we  shall  feel  sorrj-  when  he  returns  to  find  his  land  gone. 

2  P.M.     Our  first  visitor  this  morning  was  Von  M , 

who  returned  too  late  from  Dawson  to  call  on  us  last  night. 
He  had  not  }-et  decided  on  an\-thing,  as  he  was  expecting 
answers  from  many  to  whom  he  had  applied.  Everj-one  is 
eager  to  have  the  animatoscope,  but  not  so  anxious  for  the 
bowling-alle}',  as  it  takes  so  much  space,  where  land  is  ex- 
tremely' valuable.  Jones  came  in  rubbing  his  eyes  about 
noon — had  slept  fourteen  solid  hours  and  was  too  late  to 
gather   his   forces  to   begin    building.     He   went   into  the 

kitchen  to  light  a  fire,  and  I  heard  him  say,  "  Miss  Y , 

M '11  be  back  to-morrow  ;  he  's  just  dead  stuck  on  that 

little  one  in  there,  but  if  she  's  going  to  be  so  mean  to  me 
I  '11  never  bring  him  over  here  no  more,  an'  I  '11  tell  him 
not  to  come."     "  Do  you  think  you  can  keep  him  away  ?  " 

said  E .     "  Dunno,  I  'ra  sure  ;  dunno  how  much  sense 

he  's  got,"  and  he  glanced  wickedly  over  the  screen  to  see 
whether  his  shot  had  told. 

About  4  P.M.  he  took  me  for  a  boat-ride  to  the  raft. 
Von  M had  struck  a  bargain  at  fifty  dollars  for  fifty- 
two  logs.  We  rowed  and  drifted  for  a  couple  of  liours 
about  and  around  the  raft,  hoping  for  the  owners  to 
arrive,  but  as  patience  was  almost  exhausted  a  brilliant 
idea  struck  me.  We  found  a  card,  and  wrote  on  it,  "  Wili 
owner  of  raft  please  call  immediately  at  '  big  tent '  and  in- 
quire for  Mrs.  H ."     John  found  a  long  pole,  which  he 

stuck  upon  the  raft  after  having  split  the  top  with  a  hatchet 
and  inserted  the  card.  "  The  moment  they  know  it  's  for 
the  '  big  tent '  they  '11  stick  you  for  a  lot  more  money,  you 
mind  my  word,"  said  he.  "  I  tell  j'ou,  John  don't  want  to 
see  you  stuck,  an'  he  ain't  a-goin'  to,  nuther.  This  has  been 
a  luck3'  summer  for  me,  from  the  moment  you  came  in  my 
tent  when  I  was  so  sick  an'  put  that  little  hand  o'  yourn  on 
my  forehead  to  see  how  high  my  fever  was  ;  I  tell  you,  it  just 
sent  an  electric  thrill  ritrht  throuErh  me.      No  woman  never 


The  "  Rideout  "  at  Last  263 

done  that  l^efore,  not  even  my  mother  that  I  kin  rememlser, 
coz  she  died  when  I  was  a  kid.  Why,  do  you  know,  I  ain't 
never  seen  no  ladies  like  j'ou  folks  before,  an'  I  'd  'a'  been 
sick  a  hundred  times  over  for  to  have  met  you.  The  women 
I  've  alius  known  has  been  such  as  sometimes  to  'a'  made 
me  ashamed  that  my  own  mother  was  a  woman,  but  now,  by 
gosh,  there  's  something  to  live  for  to  wait  on  you  an'  Miss 

V .      O'  course  you  'd  never  think  twice' t  about  the 

likes  0'  me,  an'  perhaps  you  'd  never  know  me  on  the  '  out- 
side,' no  matter  how  fine  I  could  dress,  but  that  don't  mat- 
ter to  John  ;   he  'd  slave  for  j-ou  all  the  same." 

A  boat  approached  in  which  sat  Dr.  C ,  who  had  just 

returned  from  staking  claims  on  Bear  Creek.  We  held  our 
canoes  together  and  listened  to  his  description  of  the  trip, 
and  then  floated  down  to  a  big  boat  from  Ottawa  which  had 
just  arrived.  The  men  on  board  said  they  had  been  shoot- 
ing moose  and  caribou  all  the  trip  and  had  a  couple  of  ducks 
on  board,  which  they  told  us  w^ere  not  for  sale.  I  invited 
them  to  attend  service  in  the  tent  on  Sunday  next,  when 
John  said,  "  That  ain't  goin'  to  get  you  them  ducks,"  at 
which  the  men  laughed  heartily,  but  said  they  should  come 

to  church  just  the  same.     We  met  Mrs.  B returning  in 

a  canoe  with  Mr.  W 's  assistant.     She  brought  me  a 

note  from  Mr.  W ,  saying  that  I  might  build  anywhere, 

and  could  find  out  froni  Mrs.  B about  the  permit  ;  after 

a  short  talk  with  the  assistant,  I  discovered  that  if  I  bought 
logs  from  the  raft  and  the  lumber  had  been  properlj'  cleared 
there  would  be  no  dutj* ;  if  it  had  not  been  cleared,  my  house 

could  be  seized.     Dr.  C and  John  cooked  and  prepared 

the  dinner  of  soup,  fresh  salmon,  potatoes,  macaroni  and 
cheese,  and  evaporated  peaches,  but  all  had  to  be  taken  as 
usual  on  one  plate,  owing  to  the  scarcity  of  dishes,  and  to 
the  fact  that  the  bread  was  rising  in  the  dishpan. 

After  dinner,  as  we  were  sitting  before  our  tent  wrapped 
in  furs  and  robes,  a  screeching  of  whistles,  and  crowded  docks, 
announced  to  us  the  approach  of  a  steamer.  We  walked  to 
the  water's  edge,  accompanied  bj*  our  neighbours  with  their 
field-glasses,   and  strained   our   eyes   for   the  name  of  the 


264         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

steamer,  which  was  towing  a  new  barge.  The  Ridcout !  the 
Rideout,  at  last  !  After  a  whole  month  of  waiting  !  of  pur- 
chasing stores  at  Dawson  prices  !  and  now,  as  we  are  ready- 
to  leave  for  home,  she  comes,  bringing  the  table-linen,  bed- 
linen,  kitchen  utensils,  luxuries  and  delicacies  for  which  we 
have  been  longing,  and  which  it  is  now  too  late  for  us  to 
enjo3\  We  were  here  interrupted  \>y  the  owner  of  the  raft, 
who  came  to  inquire  the  meaning  of  the  card  that  had  been 
left  for  him,  and  the  order  was  soon  given  for  the  logs,  as 
we  must  have  a  house  in  which  to  store  our  goods.  The 
night  turned  so  cold  (fort}-  degrees)  that  we  were  obliged  to 
sit  in  the  kitchen,  John  chopping  us  a  good  supply  of  wood, 

and  Dr.    C building  a  big  fire,  after  which  the  men 

brought  us  boards  to  keep  our  feet  from  the  damp  ground, 

while  they  sat  on  boxes.     We  were  joined  by  Von  M 

and  K .     E was  worrying  over  her  bread  which  had 

fallen,  and  although  I  assured  her  that  hers  in  that  con- 
dition was  better  than  the  lightest  made  by  anyone  else,  it 

did  not  console  her  a  bit.     She  consulted  K ,  and  was 

delighted  to  learn  that  his  batch  had  also  fallen.  "  It  's 
from  the  cold,"  said  he,  "  and  can't  be  helped  unless  a  fire 

is  kept  up  all  night."     I  begged  E to  purchase  it  in 

future,  as  we  can  now  get  five  or  six  loaves  for  a  dollar. 
"  Did  you  see  the  accident  on  the  other  side  ?  "  queried 

.      "No!  what  was  it  ?     We  never  hear  or  see  anything 

in  this  country  residence."     "  Why,  J and  J were 

leaving  '  for  the  outside.'  The  whole  town  turned  out  to 
give  them  a  send-ofi",  had  a  band  of  music  and  all.  The 
wharves  were  packed,  when  suddenly  part  of  one  gave  way 
and  from  twenty  to  thirty  persons  were  precipitated  into  the 
water,  which  was  quite  deep  there.  You  should  have  seen 
the  excitement  ;  rafts  were  pushed  towards  them,  life-pre- 
servers, chairs,  and  other  things  were  thrown  out  from  the 
steamer  ;  people  tried  to  lasso  them  with  ropes,  and  at  last 
they  got  them,  all  but  one  man,  who  they  said  went  under 
the  dock  and  never  reappeared  ;  but  they  're  not  sure,  no 
one  knows  who  it  was.  There  was  only  one  woman  in  the 
lot,  and  I  '11  be  durned  if  she  was  n't  dragged  out  laughing. 


The  "Rideout"  at  Last 


265 


as  though  it  was  a  good  joke."     J joined  the  part}',  and 

was  immediately  consulted  as  to  the  site  for  our  new  cabin, 
for  although  the  present  Dawson  officials  disallow  his  claim, 
he  has  one  attorney  here,  and  another  in  Ottawa,  fighting 
the  case  and  may  j^et  come  into  possession.     We  much  prefer 

a  house  on  the  water-front,  but  J wishes  to  keep  it  for  a 

street,  and  loudly  proclaims  that  he  will  use  a  shotgun  on 


sTiiEET  SCENE  IN   DAWSON. 


anyone  who  puts  up  a  house  there  ;  so,  although  the 
"  Crown  Timber  Agent  "  says,  "  Go  ahead  and  build  where 

you  like,"  we  respect  J 's  wishes  and  avoid  his  shotgun. 

Von  M arrived  full  of  enthusiasm,  for  several  have 

offered  him  space  for  the  bowling-alley,  and  many  are  mak- 
ing fine  bids  for  the  animatoscope.  He  expects  to  start 
business  at  once,  now  tliat  the  Ridfout  is  here  with  all  the 
outfit  necessary  for  lime-light  and  other  things  which  are 
required. 


266         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Saturday,  August  27th. 

Jones  rowed  E over  to  Dawson  to  attend  to  the  market- 
ing, leaving  me  to  prepare  bills  and  invoices  for  custom- 
house, assort  papers,  and  have  a  general  clean-up.  Now 
that  our  goods  have  arrived,  I  can  keep  my  promise  and 
leave  early  in  September  for  home,  for  we  are  told  that  our 
house  can  be  built  in  a  week  or  less,  and  our  cargo  can  be 
safely  stored  therein  for  next  summer's  use. 

The  owner  of  the  raft  came  to  inquire  if  the  logs  were  to 
be  delivered  before  Monday  morning.  He  was  sent  at  once 
to  float  them  down-stream  and  tie  them  up  to  the  bank,  so 
that  the  men  might  begin  work  early  Monday  morning. 

Two  men  called  to  ask  if  we  were  the  ladies  about  to  build 
a  house.  If  so,  they  desired  to  be  engaged  as  assistants. 
H called  again  to  see  if  we  had  decided  to  let  his  capital- 
ist B have  bowling-allej^  and  animatoscope,   but  Von 

M is  so  hard  at  work,  so  nearly  ready  to  begin,  and  we 

have  such  a  high  opinion  of  his  honour  and  integritj',  that, 

although  H raised  his  offer  from  sixty-five  to  seventy 

per  cent,  of  the  net  receipts,  we  decided  to  allow  the  property 
in  question  to  remain  in  the  hands  of  Von  M . 

Jones  assisted  in  preparing  dinner,  which  consisted  only 
of  beans,  muffins,  and  stewed  apricots,  as  our  rations  have 

about  come  to  an  end.     H tells  us,  however,  that  we  are 

not  likely  to  get  our  cargo  for  some  time,  as  the  Johnson- 
Locke  Company  have  had  some  trouble,  and  the  company 
here  refuses  to  deliver  the  freight,  except  upon  repayment 
of  charges.  It  now  seems  that  of  all  the  firms  we  could  have 
selected,  it  would  have  been  impossible  to  have  sent  our 
goods  by  one  which  would  have  given  us  so  much  trouble 
and  caused  us  so  much  loss  and  delay.  Having  already  paid 
them  $488.85  for  freight  from  San  Francisco  "  to  be  landed 
in  Dawson,"  it  is  cheerful  to  be  told  that  we  are  likely  to 
have  it  all  sent  back  to  St.  Michaels,  unless  we  also  pay  the 
Company  here.  One  of  our  reasons  for  having  faith  in  them, 
was  the  following  letter  from  M : 

"  I  telegraphed  you  this  afternoon  concerning  the  Johnson- 
Locke  Company.      They  are  very  responsible  people,  well 


I 


The  "Rideout"  at  Last  267 

known  in  San  Francisco,  have  gone  to  great  expense  to  se- 
cure the  best  trade  in  the  Alaska  business.  Some  of  their 
river-boats  are  already  in  the  Bering  Sea,  at  Dutch  Harbour, 
and  they  can  absolutely  be  relied  upon  to  land  freight  at 
Dawson,  which  is  one  of  the  main  things  outside  of  your  per- 
sonal comfort  on  the  trip.  They  only  ask  two  hundred 
dollars,  first  class,  from  here,  which  will  of  course  mean 
'Frisco,  and  one  hundred  dollars  per  ton  from  Seattle,  and  I 
don't  doubt  but  what  j^ou  could  make  same  rate  from  city. 

Mr.  J L ,  one  of  the  oldest  pioneers  in  the  Yukon,  is 

the  organiser  of  the  steamship  company,  and  if  any  company 
can  be  relied  upon,  his  certainly  can." 

After  dinner  I  went  for  a  short  walk  with  Ivan.      Mr. 

K stood  outside  of  his  tent  blacking  his  boots,   and  I 

cried,  "  Oh!  for  a  Kodak,  that  your  people  might  see  some- 
thing of  the  details  of  life  on  the  Yukon."  He  laughed,  say- 
ing, "  I  was  just  dressing  up  for  a  visit  to  the  '  big  tent.'  " 
"  It  's  freezing  there,"  said  I,  "so  that  most  of  our  friends 
have  deserted  us,  while  those  who  do  come  run  the  ri.sk  of 
pneumonia  or  rheumatism."     "  Yes,  it  's  the  coldest  place 

in  Alaska,"  replied  K .    "  Von  M and  I  were  talking 

about  it,  and  we  propose  to  double  up  and  give  j'ou  our  little 
tent  with  a  stove  in  it,  for  he  can  move  into  mine,  until 
your  cabin  is  ready." — "  Not  for  the  world  would  we  incon- 
venience you,  so  don't  insist,  and  remember  that  we  are  as 
grateful  as  though  we  could  accept. ' ' 

He  and  Jones  spent  the  evening,  carrying  our  steamer 
chairs  into  the  kitchen  for  us,  where  we  sat  with  heavy  wraps 
close  to  the  stove  which  the  latter  had  so  kindly  lent  us, 
while  our  guests  were  constantly  engaged  in  filling  it  with 
wood. 

"  I  was  hoping  to  start  the  animatoscope  this  evening — • 

everybod}-  in  town  is  waiting  to  see  it,"  said  Von  M , 

entering;  "but  it  is  no  use, — impossible  to  get  anything 
from  the  Rideout ;  and  such  a  lot  of  fellows  I  know  are  going 
home  soon,  and  would  buy  tickets  before  leaving  if  I  could 
only  start  this  show.  It  's  too  bad  !  Just  think  what  it 
would  have  meant  if  the  Rideout  had  come  in  on  time  a 


268         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

month  ago  !  Wbj-,  we  could  have  been  coining  money  for 
four  weeks,  and  now  !  Why,  from  five  to  ten  thousand 
people  have  left." 

Sunday,  August  2Sth. 

We  held  our  last  church  service  this  morning,  as  it  is  not 
only  too  cold,  but  the  building  of  the  house  will  block  the 
entrance  to  the  tent.  After  service  an  informal,  friendly 
meeting  was  held,  when  the  parson  (substitute  sent  by  Dr. 

D ),  who  had  come  into  Dawson  to  seek  his  fortune  as  a 

photographer,  bemoaned  his  fate,  saying  that  he  was  now 
almost  too  poverty-stricken  to  leave,  although  very  anxious 
to  do  so.  "  How  can  that  be,"  we  queried,  "  with  prices 
at  one  dollar  each  for  developing  photographs  ?  "  "  That  's 
all  well  enough,"  said  he,  "  until  one  runs  out  of  material  ; 
it  is  then  that  the  expense  and  difficulty  begin.  Never  in 
all  my  life  have  I  required  so  much  patience  and  faith  as 
during  my  stay  on  the  Yukon."  So  we  came  to  the  conclu- 
sion that  his  stores  had  also  been  sent  through  the  company 
we  had  chosen,  and  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  purchase  at 
Dawson  prices  as  had  we. 

One  of  our  neighbours  came  to  the  tent  door  saying, 
"Won't  you  ladies  accept  a  pair  of  ducks?  My  partner 
and  I  have  just  come  in  from  Ottawa,  and  have  shot  .so  much 
game  during  the  trip  that  we  have  more  than  we  want,"  and 
so  the  beauties  were  turned  over  to  us,  and  we  congratulated 
ourselves  that  such  generous  neighbours  were  about  to  set 

up  a  cabin  next  door  but  one.     W then  arrived,  too  late 

for  church,  but  in  time  to  help  prepare  luncheon.  He  had 
been  prospecting,  and  had  spent  several  daj-s  on  the  trail, 
which  accounted  for  his  non-appearance.  After  luncheon 
he  accompanied  me  for  a  short  Atalk  around  our  so-called 
island,  and  armed  with  Kodak  we  took  pictures  of  several  of 

our  neighbours.     Mrs.  H (who  dresses  in  trouserloons) 

and  her  two  sons — they  are  building  one  cabin  and  have 

staked  off  land  for  two  others, — and  Q and  his  partner, 

to  whom  I  .said,  "  Have  you  ever  been  told  of  your  great  re- 
semblance to  Captain  Sigsbee,   the  late  commander  of  the 


The  "  Rideout  "  at  Last 


269 


Maine  /  "      "I  thank  you  heartily  for  the  compliment,"  was 
the  reply. 

At  one  of  the  tents  we  passed  the  time  of  day  with  a  man 
who  said  that  his  partner  was  quite  ill.  I  immediately  en- 
tered to  see  what  could  be  done  for  him.  The  poor  fellow 
lay  stretched  on  pine  boughs  about  one  foot  from  the  ground, 
covered  with  a  fur  robe.      He  was  fully   dressed   in   thick 


A  GROUP   OF   PROSPECTORS. 


clothing  and  the  fire  in  the  tent  made  the  atmosphere  so  hot 
and  heavy  as  to  be  stifling.  I  said  to  him,  "  You  need  fresh 
air.  Of  course,  with  your  trouble,  you  must  keep  as  quiet 
as  possible,  but  it  is  as  easy  to  do  that  outside  the  tent  as 
here.  Let  me  help  to  move  you  out  for  a  sun-bath."  The 
invalid  was  not  at  all  enthusiastic  at  the  prospect.  It  oc- 
curred to  me  that  sitting  outside  on  a  box  would  not  be  any 
too  comfortable,  so  I  hurried  to  the  tent  and,  with  W 's 


2;o         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

assistance,  was  about  to  carry  to  him  my  steamer  chair,  when 
his  partner,  having  learned  of  the  plan,  appeared  to  relieve 
us  of  that  trouble.  We  saw  the  invalid  properly  installed, 
and,  on  the  way  back,  passed  the  tent  of  the  men  who  had 
sent  us  the  ducks.  They  had  a  dozen  friends  from  the  other 
side  of  the  Yukon  lunching  with  them  in  the  open  air,  so  I 
stopped  to  take  a  group  or  two  of  the  future  Klondike  mil- 


OUR   NEIGHBOURS  WHO  ELECTED   ME   MAYOR. 


lionaires,  telling  them  of  my  pleasure  in  having  such  good 
neighbours,  a  feeling  which  they  reciprocated  to  such  a  de- 
gree that  they  offered  me  the  position  of  "  lady  mayor,"  say- 
ing that  I  should  be  voted  in  by  acclamation,  and  promising 
dire  vengeance  on  anj-one  who  should  dare  oppose  their 
decision.     Quite  elated  at  the  prospect,  I  confided  the  plan 

to  E ,  who  immediately   dashed  my  hopes  by  sa3'ing, 

"  How  can  an  American  hold  office  in  Canadian  territory  ?  " 
Very  practical  is  E ,  and  very  clever,  too.     It  is  a  fort- 


The  "Rideout"  at  Last  271 

unate  thing  that  she  is  here  to  be  consulted  or  else  I  should 
rush  into  every  tempting  business  proposition  that  offers 
itself,  but  which,  after  she  has  dissected  it,  shows  clearlj^  the 
glaring  flaws  within  the  diamond. 

A  number  of  neighbours  came  in  during  the  afternoon  to 
discuss  going  on  the  trail  again.  One  of  them  told  us  that 
he  had  the  bench  claim  adjoining  ours  on  Bear  Creek  ;  that 
he  had  sunk  onlj'  two  feet  and  had  never  taken  out  less  than 
fifty  cents  to  the  pan.  We  were  most  exultant  at  such  good 
news,  and  still  more  so  as  he  said  that  our  prospect  looked 
exceedingly  fine,  and  promised  to  bring  us  back  some  pan- 

nings  on  his  return.     W went  back  to  town  to  get  ice 

for  us,  promising  to  return  in  time  for  dinner,  which  he  and 
Jones  assisted  in  preparing.  There  was  a  big  wedding  in 
Dawson,  which  kept  all  our  Sunda}--night  friends  on  the  other 

side.     Von  M and  K joined  us,  one  bringing  a  loaf 

of  bread,  the  other  some  maple  sugar,  and  as  we  were  gathered 
about  the  stove,  Jones,  who  had  disappeared  for  a  short 
time,  came  in,  saying  to  me,   "  Here  's  a  chance  for  j-ou, 

who  are  always  so  good  to  sick  bo\'s.     A M came 

over  to  see  you,  but  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  and  is  in  Mrs. 

T 's  tent.     She  's  in  Dawson,   and  there  's  nobody  to 

give  him  any  medicine  or  to  look  out  for  him."     E and 

I  immediately  answered  this  call  of  distress  from  our  kindly 
guide,  and  found  him  with  raging  headache  and  light  fever. 
Fortunateh',  I  had  the  remedies  at  hand,  and  as  the  others 

went  to  fetch  them,  M said,  "  Here  's  a  pretty  nugget 

I  brought  you  back  from  Bonanza.  Don't  say  nothing,  coz 
I  've  only  got  one  which  I  brought  for  ye,  coz  I  thought 
of  ye  while  I  was  there."  My  famous  headache  or  neuralgia 
cure  acted  as  marvellously  as  it  is  wont  to  do,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  Klondike  King  had  relief,  and  was  listening  to  a 
sketch  of  his  life  as  it  appeared  in  the  latest  paper,  which  I 

read  to  the  great  interest  not  only  of  "  big-hearted  A ," 

but  of  the  others  in  the  little  audience.  We  left  him  early, 
as  he  had  decided  to  spend  the  night  on  this  quiet,  peaceful 

side  of  the  Yukon  with  Jones,  in  the  tent  which  Mrs.  T 

had  loaned  him,  and  where  he  could  not  be  disturbed  by 


2/. 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


the  hundreds  of  buttonholers  and  schemers  who  give  him 

no  peace.     \V accepted  the  offer  of  Jones  to  spend  the 

night  in  his  tent  and  the  part}'  soon  broke  up. 

Monday,  August  29th. 

Jones   and  W turned  up  before   9   a.m.    to  join   us 

at  breakfast,    which   thej^   helped   prepare.      At   ten,   Von 

M came   to   row  me  across   the  Yukon  in  his  canoe. 

Jones  rowed  Ivan  over,  as  I  would  not  allow  the  handsome 
dog  to  go  in  the  same  boat  with  me,  fearing  his  restlessness 
or  some  accident  which  might  overturn  the  canoe  in  the 
strong  current.  We  stopped  first  at  the  Alaska  Commercial 
Company's  stores,  where  we  found  poor  M ,  who  ap- 
proached us  holding  his  head  with  both  hands,  saying, 
"  Too  much  wedding  !  oh,  how  the  champagne  did  flow  !  " 
Stopped  to  chat  with  at  least  a  dozen  friends,  who  were  all 
ready  to  accompany  me  and  assist  in  the  shopping  expedi- 
tion, but  W had  the  list  of  commissions  to  be  executed, 

and  had  promised   E to  see  that  they  were  promptlj' 

attended  to,  so  off  we  started. 

We  went  on  board  the  steamer  Ridcouf,  where  H was 

checking  off  freight,  but  got  someone  else  to  take  his  place 
while  he  accompanied  us  to  the  Pavilion  to  .show  the  rooms 

on  which  he  and  B had  the  option — only  fifty  feet  long, 

and  the  bowling-alley  is  just  that  length,  and  requires  at 
least  seventy.  "  Oh,  we  '11  manage." — "  But  how  ?  There  's 
not  another  foot  of  ground  to  be  obtained  here." — "  We  can 
fix  it  somehow."     But  it  was  quite  u,seless  we  found,  as  we 

examined  ;  so  we  left  for  another  consultation  with  E , 

and  H ■  with  his  backer.     We  then  paid  a  visit  to  Mr. 

W ,  the  lumber  commissioner,  to  ask  what  tax  we  must 

pay  on  our  logs  for  building.  "  Sixteen  dollars  on  one  hun- 
dred logs,"  said  he.  "  But  the  men  who  own  the  raft  say 
they  've  already  cleared  it."  "  They  've  not,"  he  replied, 
"  and  you  must  keep  out  the  sixteen  dollars  from  the  price 
agreed  for  payment,  and  tell  them  it  's  by  my  orders." 
From  there  to  the  land  commissioner's,  where  we  saw  hand- 
some Captain  B ,  and  asked  to  have  explained  to  us  the 


The  "  Rideout  "  at  Last 


27- 


rights  and  privileges  of  a  squatter.  "  You  are  entitled  to 
50  X  60  feet,"  said  he.  "  But  all  our  neighbours  have  taken 
50  X  100  feet  ;  whj-  should  not  we  do  the  same  ?  " — "  All 
right,  if  you  can  hold  it.  Land  on  that  side  has  not  j-et  been 
surveyed  or  decided  upon,  but  on  this  side  50  x  60  feet  is 
the  rule." — "  Is  there  aii}-  inexpensive  ground  for  a  winter 
residence  ?  "     "  Just  one  lot  at  two  hundred  dollars,"  said 


.X.ABxjj|>_^ 


Samis'^^wltitt 


LADUE'S   STORE. 

Tie,  pointing  it  out  on  the  map.     W took  the  directions 

and  promised  to  have  a  look  at  it.  I  then  thanked  the  Cap- 
tain, telling  him  that  if  the  erection  of  the  summer  residence 
■did  not  leave  me  penniless,  I  should  probably  return  for  the 
bit  of  ground.     "  And  then  it  will  be  gone,"  said  he. 

Our  next  visit  was  to  Ladue's  warehouse  stores.  His 
agent  said  it  would  be  impossible  to  tell  whether  we  would 
be  called  upon  to  pay  again  for  our  freight  before  receipt  of 
it ;  said  he  could  not  even  get  L,adue's  cargo  out,  things  were 


274         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ill  such  a  muddle.     Von  M ,  F ,  and  C ,  who  had 

joined  us,  all  tried  to  extract  whj-s  and  wherefores,  but  the 
agent  professed  entire  ignorance.  Back  to  the  warehouse 
we  went  ;  Ladue  not  to  be  seen,  but  his  attorney  poured  oil 
on  the  troubled  waters  bj-  telling  us  that  all  complications 
had  been  disentangled  and  that  goods  were  being  landed  as 
rapidh'  as  possible,  but  we  had  better  interview  the  purser. 
So  to  the  Ridcout  I  went  with  my  four  handsome  escorts,  who 
cleared  the  wa}'  for  me  as  though  I  had  been  a  member  of 
the  royal  family.     On  our  way  to  the  purser's  ofl&ce  we  were 

met  by  H ,  who  said  that  as  he  had  charge  of  checking 

up  and  putting  Ladue's  goods  in  warehouse,  if  we  would 
leave  the  matter  in  his  hands  there  would  be  no  further 
trouble.  Next  to  the  office  of  the  Klondike  Nugget  to  in- 
quire why  we  are  not  receiving  that  spicy  little  sheet,  then 
to  the  office  of  the  Canadian  customs  official  to  ask  if  he  would 
allow  us  to  copy  our  bills  which  he  had  retained.  He  asked 
for  the  bills  oi  RideoJit  cargo,  and  kindly  offered  assistance  in 
getting  our  goods  without  repaying  freight,  not  having  heard 
that  the  difficulties  in  the  Johnson-Locke  Company'  had  been 
settled. 

At  last,  the  commissions  finished,  we  started  for  the  boat, 

only  to  find  that  Dr.  C ,  who  had  borrowed  it  at  eleven 

o'clock  to  pay  an  hour's  visit  to  E ,  had  failed  to  return, 

so  we  all  seated  ourselves  on  the  platform  outside  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Companj',  and  waited  and  watched  the  shore 
near  the  big  tent  to  see  when  the  Doctor  should  push  off. 

We  were  joined  by  Mr.  L ,  who  said  that  if  E and  I 

would  only  give  up  Dawson  for  Circle,  we  should  have  some 
splendid  claims  there  and  that  the  "  boys  "  would  build  us  a 

fine  house.     Then  came  M to  explain  about  the  mine  on 

Bear  Creek,  and  with  so  large  a  party  of  the  college  boys  to 
keep  me  company  I  was  in  no  hurry  for  the  appearance  ol 

Dr.   C and  the  canoe.      Finallj'  A M arrived, 

and  they  all  made  way  for  this  modest  Klondike  King. 
"  John  said  you  wanted  me  to  go  over  and  take  lunch  with 
yez,"  said  he.  "  We  'd  be  glad  to  have  you,  but  we  know 
that  this  is  your  busiest  hour,  and  it  seems  such  a  pity  for 


The  "  Ridcout  "  at  Last  275 

you  to  be  obliged  to  hurry  right  back  that  perhaps  you 
would  rather  couie  to  dinner  at  six."  "  True  for  yez,"  ex- 
claimed A ,  his  face  lighting  up  ;   "  that  's  what  !     I  'U 

be  here  at  six  o'clock  an'  yez  kin  tell  John  to  come  and  row 
me  over,"  and  the  man  of  millions  started  off  with  long 
strides,  only  to  find  men  waiting  to  waj-laj'  him  on  all  sides. 

Jones  appeared  at  last  ready  to  take  Ivan  and  me  home. 

I  begged  passage  also  for  \V and  Von  M .     W 

who  was  carrying  under  his  arm  our  four  loaves  of  bread, 
which  we  had  purchased  for  a  dollar,  let  one  of  them  .slip  from 
the  paper  to  the  ground.  ' '  Bread  is  too  precious  to  be  thrown 
away  for  a  little  thing  like  that,"  cried  the  "  bo3-s, "  and  im- 
mediately connnenced  giving  it  a  thorough  dusting.  On 
reaching  the  "  big  tent  "  we  were  met  by  half  a  dozen  men 
who  had  heard  of  our  strike  on  Bear  Creek,  and  were  ready 
to  start  out  staking  in  case  we  would  give  them  a  few  details. 
"  There  are  five  of  us,"  said  the}-,  "  and  we  '11  all  give  you 
aninterest."  "Ah!  in  case  your  claims  turn  out  well  I  shall 
expect  a  million  from  each  one,"  and  so  sajnng,  I  spread  the 

map  out  before  F ,  explaining  to  him  carefully  the  entire 

ground,  but  without  exacting  the  usual  bargain  of  half-inter- 
est in  each  claim.  Off  they  all  started  with  heavy  packs  on 
their  backs,  and  a  strange  sight  it  seemed  !  These  society 
men,  who  are  dined  and  wined  in  New  York,  who  lead  cotil- 
lions and  attend  teas,  cheerfully  making  beasts  of  burden  of 
themselves,  by  strapping  anywhere  from  thirty  to  eighty 
pounds  on  the  back,  bending  under  the  burden,  tramping 
miles  daily,   with   perspiration    rolling  from   the  brow,   3-et 

making  no  complaint.     Von   M ■  went  to  his  cabin  for 

luncheon.     W and  I  opened  a  tin  of  sardines  and  had 

some  delicious  hot  soda-biscuit  which  E had  left  in  the 

oven  for  us,  after  which  we  washed  the  dishes  and  prepared 
to  draw  up  the  papers  in  regard  to  some  claims. 

At  5,30  Jones  rowed  over  for  M .     Poor  John  had  been 

feeling   sore   and   ugly   all   day,    and    before  starting  said, 

"  You  'd  oughter  'a'seen  Mrs.   H in  Dawson  to-day. 

She  did  n't  have  no  use  for  John  at  all,  just  nothing  but 
dudes  all  day  long.     She  went  ever3'where  with  that  there 


276         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

red-necktie   fellow."     "  But   he  is   to  have  charge  of  our 

affairs,"  interrupted  E ,  "and  he  went  to  attend  to  the 

business  part  of  it."  "  All  right  !  you  just  keep  on  with 
them  there  dudes  and  3-ou  '11  see  how  you  '11  come  out  ;  if 
3'ou  'd  trusted  everything  to  John  yon  would  n't  be  having 
all  this  trouble  now.  Whj",  I  'd  just  like  to  see  these  '  Bah 
Jove  '  Englishmen  a-tryin'  to  run  your  animatoscope.  Just 
the  way  they  'd  talk  would  make  all  the  fellows  give  'em 
the  laugh  ;  they  don't  know  nothing  about  .such  things. 
Why,  that  there  dog  Ivan — a  man  kim  up  to  me  and  said 
he  'd  give  a  thousand  dollars  down  for  him  an'  call  him 
cheap,  but  I  ain't  goin'  to  do  no  business  for  you  folks  when 
yer  has  a  lot  of  dudes  a-hangin'  round.     I  '11  be  durned  if 

Mrs.  H did  n't  ask  a  lot  of  'em  over  to  dinner  to-night. 

Me  and  A •  don't  want  no  dinner  with  the  likes  o'  them, 

an'  I  tell  j-ou  he  ain't  comin'  no  moie  when  he  knows  she 
lets  such  fellers  as  them  hang  around."  He  sulked  about 
until  time  to  row  across.     Seven  o'clock  came  and  no  dinner 

guests  :  eight,  ditto,  so  we  sat  down  with  W and  Von 

M ,  enjoyed  our  stewed  clams,  delicious  roast  of  beef,  po- 
tatoes, scalloped  tomatoes,  asparagus  salad,  etc.,  which  they 
had  assisted  in  preparing,  and  discu.ssed  whether  we  should 
waste  a  bottle  of  champagne  upon  these  two  "  boys."  Thej' 
overruled  us  by  saying  that  once  it  had  been  iced  it  had  to 
be  used,  so  the  contents  of  the  bottle  were  carefuU)'  divided 
into  four  parts.  We  drank  success  to  the  animatoscope,  and 
the  fellows  were  congratulating  themselves  upon  their  luck 

in  having  had  A 's  good  dinner.     At  9  p.m.  in  he  walked 

with  Jones.  We  thought,  of  course,  that  they  had  dined, 
but  soon  discovered  our  mistake.  Our  two  English  dudes 
transformed  themselves  into  the  most  perfect  of  cooks  and 

butlers.     Tinned  goods  are  quickly  heated,  and  E ■  went 

behind  the  screen  to  give  directions.     W served  each 

course  with  a  grand  flourish  and  bow.     Von  M ,  as  cook, 

came  in  to  see  if  the  dishes  were  satisfactory,  and  was 
promptly  ordered  back  into  the  kitchen.  Upon  opening  a 
bottle  of  champagne,  he  remained  in  an  expectant  position, 
but   instead   of  being   asked  to  partake   he  was  promptly 


The  "Rideout"  at  Last 


-/  / 


ordered  to  place  the  bottle  on  the  table  and  retire,  much  to 

the  delight  of  Jones  and  the  hnge  glee  of  A ,  who  was 

indeed  surprised  to  see  himself  waited  upon  in  such  st\le  bj- 
two  30ung  noblemen.  I  made  a  feint  of  eating  and  drink- 
ing ;  the  others  had  most  hearty  appetites  and  seemed  to 
enjoy  everything.  The  tent  door  was  wide  open,  and  the 
table  was  lighted  by  the  soft  rays  of  the  moon. 


A    KLONDIKE    TEAM. 


After  dinner  a  man  came  to  see  about  moving  the  logs  for 
our  cabin.  All  our  neighbours  pay  twenty  dollars  a  day  for 
horse  and  man,  but  for  the  big  tent  twenty-five  dollars  is  the 

lo\\'T;st  price.     So  "  Big  A "  and  I  walked  along  the  river 

bank  to  a  place  where  we  we.'-e  told  we  should  find  a  man  who 
owned  a  very  strong  horse.  We  found  him,  and  tried  to 
strike  a  bargain,  but  the  horse's  master  recognised  the  owner 
of  the  "  big  tent  "  as  well  as  the  Klondike  King,  so  bargain- 
ing was  more  than  useless,  and,  finallj-,  ten  hours'  work  was 


278         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

arranged  for  on  the  morrow,  to  begin  at  8  a.m.  We  seated 
ourselves  on  a  log,  where  the  moonlight  shone  softly  over 
the  Yukon  and  the  mountains  back  of  Daw.son,  and  there 

M told  me  the  history  of  his  life.     Although  he  had 

started  with  only  three  dollars  and  a  half,  he  had  always 
been  so  sure  of  success  that  his  dreams  were  ever  of  how  to 
invest  the  coming  millions.  He  told  of  his  plans  for  "  going 
out,"  for  visiting  Seattle,  San  Francisco,  Colorado,  where 
he  had  worked  for  years.  New  York,  and  even  London,  and 
kindly  offered  to  escort  us  over  the  Pass,  and  help  us  in  the 
difficult  places  which  we  should  be  sure  to  encounter,  as  well 
as  to  show  us  the  famous  Alaska-Treadwell  mines. 

He  also  promised  that  in  case  of  our  return  to  Dawson,  he 
would  take  us  to  virgin  ground  and  tell  us  where  to  stake, 

and  a  promise  of  that  kind  from  A M is  worth  more 

than  a  promise  of  millions  from  anj-oue  else. 

The  next  afternoon  an  Indian  came  to  the  tent  and,  in  a 
most  imperious  manner,  asked  if  we  wished  to  purchase  fish. 

As  we  had  a  roast  of  beef  on  hand,  and  W and  I  sat 

plucking  feathers  from  ducks,  a  first  experience  for  each  of 
us  and  one  which  amused  us  hugely,  we  thought  we  had  too 
much  fresh  food,  but  when  he  said  only  "  four  bits  each  " 
the  temptation  was  too  great,  and  we  accompanied  him  down 
to  the  boat  to  select  our  salmon.  We  told  him  to  bring  it  to 
the  tent  and  receive  the  pay;  this  he  declined  to  do  in  a  most 

statel,v  manner,  handing  the  fish  to  W ,  who  accepted  it 

as  naturally  as  he  carries  bread  and  washes  dishes,  with  never 
a  thought  as  to  what  the  members  of  the  crack  regiment  to 
which  he  so  lately  belonged  would  saj*.  Such  men  deserve 
success.  The  Indian  followed  us  with  great  dignity,  holding 
the  hand  of  a  small  child  of  three  years  of  age.  After  receiv- 
ing payment,  he  stood  calmly  surve^'ing  the  decorations.  I 
started  the  music-box,  to  which  the  child  listened  with  awe  ; 
then  took  her  hand  to  show  her  the  parrot.  The  father  ob- 
jected, however,  saying,  "  got  no  time."  But  the  child  had 
caught  sight  of  the  strange  bird  and  was  so  eager  to  make  its 
acquaintance  that  it  was  some  time  before  he  succeeded  in 
leading  her  away.     I  asked  if  they  would  like  their  pictures 


The  "  Rideout  "  at  Last 


279 


taken  to  which  he  replied,  "  Got  no  good  clothes."  It  seems 
strange  that  psople  of  different  nations  fail  to  realise  the 
picturesquenessof  their  native  costume,  and  onlj-  feel  pleased 
with  themselves  when  garbed  in  foreign  attire  which  com- 
pleteh*  spoils  their  appearance.  The  picture  taken,  however, 
the  Indian  said  with  an  air  of  command,  "  Picture  finish  very 
quick  and  then  you  give  me. "  "  What  a  haughty  manner ! ' ' 
said  I,  as  he  disappeared  from  view.  "  No  wonder  ;  that  's 
the  chief  of  the  tribe,  and  the  kid  is  a  princess,"  said  one  of 
ui}'  neighbours. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 


TRIALS    OF    BUILDING 

Tuesday,  August  30th. 

AT  9  A.M.  Jones  came  with  a  man  to  dig  the  foundation. 
At  ten  the  man  with  the  horse  appeared,  but  after 
viewing  the  heavy  logs  said  he  must  have  an  a.ssistant,  so 
he  went  oiT  and  finally  secured  one  at  eight  dollars  a  day. 
Work  commenced  after  ten,  nearer  eleven.  I  got  out  tape- 
measure  and  gave  it  to  Jones  to  stake  off  ground,  after  the 

return  of  which  he  disappeared.     Dr.  H sent  in  his  bill 

yesterday.  He  had  paid  me  one  professional  visit,  in  which 
he  had  bandaged  my  feet  and  given  me  medicine.  On  his 
second  visit  I  had  announced  myself  as  completeh'  cured. 

Bill,  forty-three  dollars.     As  for  E ,  he  had  visited  her 

once  or  twice,  and  massaged  her  feet  twice.  Bill,  fifty-three 
dollars.  "  Big  tent"  again  making  for  us  its  unfortunate 
impression. 

Before  leaving.  Colonel  Q said,  "  Now  that  you  are 

not  to  have  service  here  again,  don't  make  any  engagement 
for  next  Sunday,  as  I  'm  to  have  a  steam  yacht  (?^  at  nn^ 
disposal,  and  am  going  to  give  a  picnic  only  to  members  of 
the"  four  hundred."   Sol  want  you  two  ladies  as  leaders  of  it. 

Then  there  is  to  be  the  daughter  of  Senator .     I  tell  you 

I  'm  going  to  be  in  the  verj'  choicest  society  on  that  day." 
"Is  'Windy'  going?"  said  one  of  the  "boys."— "Not 
much."  "  Who  is  '  Windy  ? '  "  we  asked.  "  Oh,  she  's 
the  lady  that  comes  to  all  our  tents  and  talks  so  much." 
"  Not  very  kind  of  3'ou  to  speak  in  that  disrespectful  manner, 
and  you  a  Virginia  gentleman."     "  Yes,  I  know  ;  but  I  just 

280 


Trials  of  Building  281 

can't  help  it.  I  like  ladies  as  is  ladies,  like  3'ou  two  that  all 
your  neighbours  are  proud  of,  and  not  a  woman  who  's 
always  pokin'  her  nose  in  your  cabin  and  talkin'  you  almost 
blind.  Now  if  we  boj's  want  to  see  you,  we  know  we  've  got 
to  come  over  to  your  tent,  and  call,  just  as  we  would  at  home, 
and  although  j-ou  're  kind  enough  to  say  that  we  can  come 
in  shirt-sleeves  and  jerseys  when  it  's  too  hot  to  be  comfort- 
able otherwise,  still,  we  always  feel  that  we  must  spruce  up 
for  you,  and  we  like  to  do  it,  and  feel  better  for  the  visit. 
It  's  a  fine  thing  for  us  to  have  such  ladies  around,  and  it 
keeps  us  from  getting  demoralised  ;  but  how  can  we  have 
the  same  respect  for  women  who  dress  like  men,  and  live  like 
men,  and  talk  like  men,  and  act  like  men  ?  Besides,  you  're 
interested  in  all  we  say  and  all  we  do,  'cause  it  's  a  new  ex- 
perience for  you,  and  so  we  feel  that  you  like  to  hear  us  talk. 
There  's  a  big  difference,  I  tell  you,  which  we  feel  even  if 
we  can't  explain  it  to  you,  and  you  're  bein'  here  makes  bet- 
ter men  of  us. ' ' 

Now  to  return  to  our  house-building.     While  the  owner 
of  the  horse  and  his  assistant  were  hauling  up  logs  from  the 

raft,  I  superintended  them,  E overseeing  the  man  who 

was  digging  the  foundation.  From  nine  to  twelve  he  dug 
the  south  and  east  sides,  then  saying,  "  I  think  I  can  work 
better  for  a  little  luncheon,"  left  for  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  Work  being  stopped  also  on  the  log-hauling,  more 
as  a  joke  than  anything  else,  I  said,  "  See  how  much  I  can 
dig  while  the  men  are  at  luncheon,"  and  immediatelj-  began 
overturning  the  earth  on  the  north  side.  A  neighbour  en- 
gaged in  finishing  his  cabin  said,  "  Don't  you  think  your 
New  York  friends  would  give  fifty  cents  admission  to  see 
you  using  a  shovel?"     "They  'd  never  believe  it,"  said 

E ,  "  even  were  we  both  to  swear  to  it,"  so  she  seized 

the  Kodak  and  caught  me  in  the  act,  with  the  perspiration 
rolling  down  my  brow.  "  Eet  me  show  you  how  to  hold  a 
shovel,  if  you  won't  allow  me  to  dig  for  you,"  called  an- 
other neighbour.  "  I  hate  to  see  a  woman  working,  but 
then  you  can't  make  nuich  impression  ;  it  's  only  play  for 
you."     This  put  me  on  my  mettle,  and  caused  me  to  work 


282         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

with  such  determination  that  I  had  soon  dug  the  entire 
thirts-  feet  necessary'  to  hold  the  first  log,  but  as  different 
ones  came  in  and  refused  to  believe  it  the  work  of  my  hands, 
I  realised  more  and  more  that  those  at  home  would  lie  equally 
incredulous. 

Down  to  the  raft  again,  while  E continued  the  house- 
work, which  to  me  is  most  obnoxious.  The  two  men  had 
done  so  little  that  I  began  to  fear  their  task  would  not  be 
finished  by  night,  so  questioned  them.  They  could  not  tell ! 
Thirty-three  dollars  a  day  and  only  half  a  dozen  logs  hauled 
up.     At  that  rate  they  might  spin  out  their  job  indefinitely. 

Neighbour  E came  and  kindh-  brought  us  a  bucket  of 

water.  We  consulted  him  and  others,  but  although  they 
knew  we  were  paying  steep  prices,  they  saw  no  waj'  of  our 
gettiug  better  terms,  for,  as  one  of  the  "  boys"  said,"  They've 
all  heard  that  you  're  ver\'  wealth j-,  and  there  are  onlj-  three 
horses  on  this  side." 

As  I  returned  from  one  of  ms-  many  visits  to  the  raft, 

"  Who  do  you  think  is  back  ?  "  said  E .    "  You  'd  never 

guess — Isaacs,"  and  just  then  his  face  appeared  in  the  door- 
way. "  Well,  I  got  out  o'  grub,  and  'as  come  back  to  see 
what  I  could  do." — "  How  's  j-our  lay  ?  " — "  Oh,  me  lay  's 
all  right  enough,  but  a  feller  has  to  have  grub,  an'  plenty 
of  it.  'Ave  j-our  things  come  in  yet  from  the  Ridcout  f  " — 
"  Yes,  they  've  arrived,  but  we  can't  get  them  yet,  so  that 
we  're  buying  food  ourselves  at  Dawson  prices."  "  How  's 
the  parrot — got  her  yet?"  said  the  irrepressible.  "Oh, 
yes,  I  see  she  's  as  cross  as  ever,"  as  he  seated  himself  by  the 

parrot's  cage.    Then,  seeing  Neighbour  J pass,  he  called 

out,  "  I  say,  J ,   how  about  greens  from  your  garden  ? 

Could  n't  you  manage  to  .spare  me  a  few?"  "Very  few 
left,"  said  J ,  Init  relented,  adding,  "  you  can  help  your- 
self, "  which  Isaacs  did  with  a  generous  hand.  The  hours 
passed  and  the  man  who  had  dug  only  twice  as  much  as  I 

had,  never  again  put  in  an  appearance.     J 's  partner,  the 

Frenchman,  told  us  that  as  the  back  of  our  building  site  was 
so  much  higher  than  the  front,  there  should  have  been  no 
digging  there  whatever,  as  it  would  cause  so  great  a  depth 


Trials  of  Building  283 

behind  that  ice  (which  is  oiilj-  a  few  feet  below  the  surface) 
would  be  quickly  struck. 

At  2  P.M.  Jones  reappeared,  and  started  at  once  for  the 
raft,  but  could  not  hurry  the  work,  the  men  saying  that  the 
logs  were  unusually  heavy.  After  dinner,  not  seeing  any 
"  dudes  "  around,  Jones,  who  was  beginning  to  recover  from 
his  fit  of  the  sulks,  invited  me  for  a  boat-ride,  which  it 
seemed  most  politic  to  accept.  As  he  rowed  he  became  more 
and  more  cheerful,  told  me  of  the  terrible  fate  of  women  who 

flirted,  and  said,  "  That  's  why  me  and  M don't  like 

women,  an'  never  have  nothin'  to  do  with  'em.  Yer  see 
A ,  he  's  never  knowed  no  women  anywaj';  he  's  so  bash- 
ful, that  he  's  afraid  of  even  Miss ,  who  's  been  running 

after  him  so  long,  an'  she  ain't  grand  like  you.  I  tell  you  I 
never  could  'a'  got  him  near  you,  but  it  was  just  your 
being  so  kind  to  me  when  I  wuz  sick  that  did  it,  and  he 
wanted  to  do  something  for  j'ou  ;  so  when  I  told  him  you 
two  ladies  was  a-dyin'  to  go  and  stake  out  claims  for  your- 
selves, then  says  he,  '  By  gosh!  John!  they  '11  do  it,  and  you 
see  if  I  don't  help  'em,  that  's  what.'  Now  honest  ;  do  you 
mean  being  nice  to  him  like  3'OU  are?  coz,  by  George!  if  I 
thought  you  wuz  just  a-flirting  I  'd  put  you  down  in  the 
middle  of  this  river  jess  as  quick  as  look  at  yer,  coz  never 
mind  how  good  you  've  been  to  me,  an'  the  likes  o'  that, 

A 's  been  good  to  me  since  I  wuz  a  kid,  an'  I  ain't  never 

had  no  father  nor  mother  to  do  nothin'  for  me  nor  the  likes 
o'  that." 

As  he  talked,  honest  John  had  rowed  steadily  Dawson- 
ward,  where  he  had  a  commission  to  attend  to.  I  asked  to 
remain  in  the  boat,  but  this  request  was  most  firmlj^  refused. 
"  It  ain't  for  the  likes  o'  you  to  be  a-sittin'  down  here 
"mongst  all  these  rafts.  I  '11  just  take  you  to  the  Ala.ska 
Commercial  Conipan}',  where  it  's  always  respectable,  and 
come  back  for  you  as  soon  as  possible  "  ;  so  down  the  principal 
street  we  walked.  All  the  shows  were  in  full  force,  bands 
playing,  crowds  before  the  saloons  and  gambling-places,  and 
yet,  even  had  I  been  absolutely  alone  and  unprotected,  I 
should  have  felt  no  fear. 


284         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

While  we  had  been  waiting  for  our  stores  from  the  Ridcout 
another  animatoscope  had  arrived  in  town,  and  had  fore- 
stalled us,  and  this  was  their  opening  night.  Crowds  were 
hanging  about  the  door  awaiting  admission.  We  were  told 
that  as  the  "  lightning  express"  appeared,  dashed  on,  and 
disappeared,  the  miners  howled  with  delight,  and  that  one  of 
them  stood  up  and  shouted,  "  Run  her  through  again  !  run 
her  through  again  !  I  ain't  seen  a  locomotive  for  nigh  on 
ten  )-ears."  To  think  what  we  have  lost  by  the  detention 
of  our  cargo  !  Our  "  lightning  express  "  will  be  old  when  it 
is  finally  turned  over  to  us. 

On  reaching  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  platform, 
we  found  the  Salvation  Army  holding  its  meeting,  sur- 
rounded b}'  miners  and  idle  men.  Jones  found  me  a  vacant 
seat,  which  I  took,  attracting  no  attention,  and  told  him  to 
hurry  off  on  his  errand.  One  or  two  dogs  came  to  be  petted, 
then  a  young  man  approached,  raised  his  hat,  saying,  "  Is 

this  Mrs.  H ?     I  am  Mr.  ,  and  learning  that  you 

brought  in  a  great  many  novels,  magazines,  and  illustrated 
weeklies  for  winter  reading,  which  you  are  not  to  remain 
and  enjoy,  thought  that  you  might  be  willing  to  dispose  of 
them.  If  so,  I  should  be  very  glad  to  take  the  lot,"  he 
added,  with  the  air  of  a  millionaire,  "  and  I  won't  be  greedy 
about  the  price,  am  willing  to  make  just  a  small  percent- 
age." "  Do  you  purchase  for  cash  ?  "  said  I.  "  Well,  no," 
he  reluctantly  admitted  ;  "  I  'm  sorr\-  to  say  I  have  no  cash 
whatever,  and  thought  perhaps  you  'd  just  let  me  take  them 
on  commission,  as  I  'm  very  much  in  need  of  money." 

Just  then  Von  M appeared,  and  said,   "  The  O 

Sisters  are  so  excited  hy  the  success  of  the  other  animatoscope 
that  they  want  to  have  ours,  and  are  willing  to  give  the 
building  rent-free  from  two  to  six,  and  have  benches  made 
for  the  crowd  which  they  expect.  We  must  trj-  and  get  the 
machine  and  appurtenances  from  the  Rideout  at  once,  as 
ever}-  day  that  the  other  show  exhibits  takes  so  much  from 
our  pockets  and  puts  it  into  theirs,  when  we  really  should 
have  been  first  in  the  field."  Jones  soon  came  to  row  me 
back  to  West  Dawson.     He  and  Von  M spent  the  even- 


Trials  of  Building  285 

ing  filling  the  little  stove  with  wood  until  it  became  a  flam- 
ing sheet  of  red  iron,  and  still  we  were  not  warm. 

Wednesday,  August  31st. 
Such  a  downpour  of  rain  !     It  starts  the  canary  singing  at 
the  top  of  his  voice,  as  he  hears  the  patter  on  the  tent-top. 

How  grateful  we  are  to  Dr.  C for  his  little  tent  within 

the  big  one  ;  it  at  least  keeps  us  dry  and  awaj'  from  the 
rivulets  and  rills  which  are  beginning  to  form  in  various 
directions.  At  8  A.M.  the  man  with  the  horse  and  his  assist- 
ant appeared.  An  overseer  was  absolutelj'  necessary,  as  some 
neighbours  had  told  us  that  they  could  spin  out  the  job  for 
any  length  of  time  otherwise  ;  so,  buckled  into  rubber  boots, 
bloomers,  and  a  jersey,  with  the  mercury  at  fifty  degrees,  I 
went  out  into  the  rain  and  down  to  the  river-front  to  count 
how  many  logs  had  been  hauled  up  after  a  thirty-three- 
dollar  day's  work.  Only  fifteen  !  So  it  seemed  better  to 
strike  a  contract  even  at  so  late  a  time.  The  best  they 
would  listen  to  was  ninety-eight  dollars.  As  a  man  had  told 
me  that  he  and  his  partners  could  work  faster  without  a  horse 
than  our  emplo5'ees  with  one,  I  went  to  them  (my  eight-dol- 
lars-a-day  man  having  struck  for  ten)  ;  to  my  surprise  they 
demanded  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  to  carry  the  eighty- 
five  remaining  logs  a  distance  of  not  more  than  one  or  two 
hundred  feet.  Back  to  the  first  men  I  went,  knowing  that 
ni)'  onh'  protection  was  a  contract,  which  was  finally  settled 
at  eightj--five  dollars;  this  relieved  me  from  duty  as  overseer. 
Then  came  a  man  who  revealed  to  us  another  expense.  We 
must  have  someone  to  shingle  the  logs.  Two  men  at  ten 
dollars  a  day  for  five  days  !  Forty  more  logs  still  remained 
to  be  brought  down  from  the  raft  ;  no  rope  to  do  it  with,  so, 
as  there  was  no  place  to  purchase,  we  were  forced  to  borrow. 
All  our  neighbours  still  in  bed.  I  went  to  the  tent  of  the 
invalid,  as  his  partner  had  told  us  to  call  on  him,  and  found 
both  up  and  dressed,  but  the  invalid  was  so  weak  that  his 
partner  and  I  both  begged  him  to  go  to  the  hospital.  The 
partner  has  been  a  kind,  tender,  and  willing  nurse,  but  has 
just  heard  of  a  big  strike  on  Bonanza,  to  which  he  can  go  if 


286         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

relieved  of  this  case  and  earn  enough  for  two  men,  which  is 
now  quite  necessarj-,  as  their  funds  are  getting  very  low. 
After  having  offered  any  assistance  in  my  power,  I  explained 
that  my  errand  was  only  a  borrowing  one,  and  was  at  once 
given  the  desired  rope. 

1  then  returned  to  the  big  tent,  where  E ,  most  patient 

of  cooks  and  housekeepers,  insisted  upon  my  partaking  of 
the  breakfast  she  had  kept  warm  for  me.  She  had  placed 
all  the  buckets  outside  of  the  tent  in  order  to  catch  the  rain- 
drops, as  our  kind  neighbours,  who  generally  keep  us  sup- 
plied from  the  spring,  and  with  wood,  had  not  3-et  opened 
their  doors  and  seemed  to  be  sleeping  the  sleep  of  the  just. 

2  P.M.  Our  first  visitor  was  the  partner  of  the  invalid, 
bringing  his  physician  from  Dawson,  who  wished  to  meet 
us.  He  had  been  but  three  weeks  in  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try,  and  brought  much   news  from  the   "outside  world." 

Neighbour  E came  out.     "  I  'm  trying  to  catch  a  few 

rain-drops,"  said  E ,  "  as  we  are  both  afraid  to  go  down 

to  the  spring  for  fear  of  slipping." — "  Give  me  your  pail  ; 
wh}'  did  n't  you  call  on  me?  I  've  only  been  lying  down 
reading  a  novel.  Just  whistle  the  next  time  you  want  any- 
thing." While  he  was  gone  Jones  arrived  from  Dawson 
with  the  ' '  boss  carpenter ' '  whom  he  had  engaged  to  hew  and 
fit  the  logs,  preparatory  to  the  construction  of  the  cabin. 
Ten  dollars  a  day  for  ten  hours'  work  of  hewing.  He 
promised  to  begin  on  the  following  morning  at  seven,  Jones 
saying  that  he  might  live  on  this  side  and  sleep  in  his  tent. 
After  they  left,  I  went  out  to  gather  chips  and  small  bits  of 
wood  to  keep  the  fire  going.  The  man  who  was  hauling  the 
logs  called  out,  "  Well,  you  'II  do  to  live  in  this  country  ; 
you  work  too  hard  to  freeze." 

A  messenger  from  W brought  the  following  note,  ad- 
dressed, "  Mrs.  H ,  The  Big  Tent:  "  "  I  saw  theanimato- 

scope  last  night  ;  it  was  a  very  poor  show,  but  evoked  great 
applause.  We  must  get  ours  started  at  once  before  people 
tire  of  it,  as  it  would  be,  at  the prcse7it  moment,  a  great  suc- 
cess, for  the  other  show  has  not  the  funeral  of  the  Maine 
victims  nor  many  other  processions  which  the  '  boys  '  are 


Trials  of  Building  _  287 

anxious  to  see.     Von  M has  done  all  in  his  power,  hut 

it  is  impossible  to  obtain  from  the  Ridcout  j-our  cargo  which 
was  promised  j-ou  a  month  ago.  Somebody  ought  to  make 
the  loss  good." 

Shortly  after,   \V himself  arrived,  and  said,   "  I  've 

only  five  minutes  to  spare,  but  could  n't  resist  the  tempta- 
tion of  running  over  to  tell  you  about  the  show  last  night. 
They  had  n't  the  funeral  of  the  Maine  victims,  nor  the 
troops  and  patriotic  scenes  which  we  have,  but  the  audience 
howled  all  the  same,  so  it  appears  to  me  that  we  shall  simply 
coin  money,  once  we  can  get  hold  of  that  cargo." 

Von  M soon  came  also,  quite  enthusiastic  for  him. 

"Well!  I  've  got  permission  to  show  it  on  Sunday,  as  I 
promised  to  give  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  the  receipts  to  the 
hospitals,  which  need  money  very  badlj-.  As  there  is  nothing 
in  the  world  for  the  people  to  do  on  that  da}-,  everything  in 
town  being  closed,  w-e  ought  to  have  the  hall  packed.  As 
you  took  some  lessons  in  San  Francisco  in  order  to  teach 

your  protege  how  to  run  it,  Mrs.  H ,  you  'd  better  come 

over  to-morrow  ;  we  '11  go  with  j'ou  to  get  the  cargo,  and 
then  you  can  teach  us  how  to  run  the  machine,  and  make 
the  lime-light,  and  we  '11  start  ahead  at  once." — "  Oh,  dear  ! 
suppose  I  should  have  forgotten  how  to  do  it  !  I  had  but 
two  lessons,  and  that  was  last  June  ;  and  then  fancy  my  go- 
ing into  a  hall  to  show  you  how  to  run  a  show.  What  would 
our  mothers  say?"     This  is  our  usual  war-crj^   but  Von 

M ,  not  knowing  this,  said,  "  Just  fanc}'  what  my  people 

would  say  at  the  thought  of  my  really  running  a  show. 
Would  n't  they  be  horrified  !  "  "  That  's  nawthin'  !  "  said 
Jones  ;  "  it 's  that  there  red  necktie  what  they  calls  a  noble- 
man, an'  he  such  a  dude,  an'  the  likes  o'  that,  goin'  into  it. 
What  'ud  his  swell  friends  in  London  say  ?  " — "  What  does 
it  matter  ?  Everything  goes  in  the  Klondike,  and  we  '  ve  all 
got  to  go  back  with  a  pile.  We  'd  be  ashamed  to  go  other- 
wise, for  everyone  seems  to  think  that  you  've  only  got  to 
reach  the  dock  of  Dawson  to  return  home  with  a  million  or 
more."  "What  part  am  I  to  have  in  the  show?"  said 
E .     "  Oh,  you  can  make  out  the  list  of  views,  and  the 


288         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

list  of  music  to  be  plaj'ed  in  accompaniment,  and  then  you 
can  be  present  on  the  opening  night  and  make  it  fashion- 
able."    E insisted,  however,  she  wanted  to  do  some  of 

the  real  work,  as  it  would  be  such  a  lark.  ' '  Well,  Mrs.  H , 

will  you  be  ready  to  go  over  and  instruct  us  earl}^  in  the 
morning  ?  " — "  Must  I  go  in  at  the  general  entrance  ?  Is  n't 
there  a  side  door?" — "Oh,  yes!  we  '11  smuggle  3-ou  in 
through  the  stage  door,  though  what  do  you  care  with 
such  a  splendid  lot  of  escorts  to  protect  you  even  from 
stray  glances?  besides,  no  one  is  awake  in  Dawson  before 
noon." 

Next  visitor,  the  man  with  bill  for  one  hundred  sixteen- 
foot  log.s — one  hundred  and  twent5--five  dollars.  "  I  have 
the  monej'  with   which   to  paj'  you,"   said  I  ;    "  but  Mr. 

W ,  the  lumber  agent,  tells  me  that  j^ou  have  not  cleared 

them  as  you  said,  and  that  you  must  either  pay  him  sixteen 
dollars  taxes,  and  show  me  the  receipt,  or  I  must  deduct  it 
from  your  bill  and  give  it  to  him." — "  Then  j-ou  'd  better 
deduct  it,  as  I  can't  go  over  to  town  at  once."  On  his  de- 
parture we  returned  to  the  all-absorbing  topic.  We  objected 
to  a  Sunday  performance,  but  were  overruled  bj-  our  staff, 
who  argued,  "  You  've  done  a  lot  of  good  with  your  church 
services  here  ;  now  whj'  should  n't  j^ou  take  the  people  from 
the  streets  and  temptation  ? — for  you  know  how  true  it  is  that 
Satan  finds  mischief  for  idle  hands,  and  j'ou  '11  be  keeping 
them  out  of  mischief  while  they  're  looking  at  our  naval 
heroes,  and  learning  what  the)-  have  done  during  the  war; 
and  then  think  of  the  big  sum  that  will  go  towards  the  ho-spi- 
tal  ;  and  last,  but  not  least,  of  how  we  shall  coin  money  !  " 

"  That  's  what  we  want  to  do,"  said  E .      "Think  what 

a  lot  of  good  one  can  do  in  New  York  with  it."  "As  for 
me,"  I  interrupted,  "  ever  since  I  saw  that  man  from  Daw- 
son board  our  steamer,  with  bologna  sausages  of  gold  dust 
thrown  '  careless-like'  around  his  neck,  I  've  been  dying  to 
imitate  him.  Fancy  landing  in  San  Francisco  like  that  !  " 
— "  Everyone  would  feel  certain  that  you  had  brought  back 
millions,  and  then  the  mushrooms  would  ask  how  j'ou  made 
3-our  money,   and  other  mushrooms  would  be  delighted  to 


Trials  of  Building 


289 


■whisper  behind  their  fans  that  you  made  it  running  a  show 

in  Dawson,  just  as  the_v  said  that  Mrs.  ,  or  her  mother, 

was  at  one  time  a  laundress."  — "  What  's  the  difference,  as 
long  as  you  get  the  millions,  and  get  them  honestlj'  ?     And 

then,  Mrs.  H ,  you  '11  be  able  to  enjoy  the  two  objects 

for  which  you  are  longing — your  yacht,  and  establishing  re- 
lief stations  for  the  unemployed." 


FIRST    AND    ONLY    FIRE     ENGINE. 


"Have  you  heard  the  news?"  called  out  one  of  the 
■"boys"  at  the  tent  door  after  dinner.  We  thought  from 
his  tone  that  our  army  or  navy  had  again  been  successful, 
and  eagerly  questioned  him.  "  Why,  there  's  been  an  ex- 
plosion at  the  the-rt-tre,  an'  Arizona  Charlie's  show  of  mov- 
ing pictures  is  bust  up,  so  he  had  to  return  all  the  money. 
He  could  n't  get  the  right  kind  o'  oil  or  kerosene  or  some- 
thing, an'   so  used  the  only  thing  he  could  buy — a  cheap 


290         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

stuff  which  exploded  and  burned  his  man  terrible  bad  all 
over  the  face  and  hands  and  everywhere." 

Thursday,  September  1st. 

Up  at  6.30,  and  ready  for  the  overseer  at  seven.  He 
needed  assistance  in  hewing  the  big  logs,  so  while  he  was 
preparing  them  I,  in  rubber  boots,  tramped  up  the  hill  in 
search  of  some  of  the  men  engaged  on  the  previous  day. 
At  half-past  seven  found  number  one,  who  promised  to  come 
after  breakfast.  A  little  after  eight  the  man  with  the  horse 
appeared  ;  I  told  him  he  would  have  to  work  hard  to  keep  my 
men  busy  ;  he  said  his  partner  was  not  yet  up.  Found  two 
men  and  asked  if  they  wanted  work  at  seven  dollars  and  fifty 
cents  a  day.  "  With  grub?"  said  they.  "  Not  much,"  I 
replied,  in  the  language  of  the  country.  "  Wa'al  !  I  suppose 
we  might  as  well  go  to  work  for  a  day  or  so. ' '  That  gave 
me  three  assistants  besides  the  boss.  An  old  man  appeared. 
"  Can't  you  make  vi^ork  for  me  ?  " — "  How  much  do  \ou 
want  ?  "— "  Same  as  the  others."—"  All  right,  go  ahead." 

When  E awoke  an  hour  later  she  was  much  surprised  tO' 

find  matters  so  far  advanced.  The  man  from  the  raft  had 
joined  the  other  workers,  and  the  air  was  merry  with  the 
sound  of  hatchets,  gee-hawing  to  the  horse,  and  directions 
from  the  boss,  whose  name  I  had  forgotten,  so  inquired  once 

more.     "  George  B ,"  said  he,  "  and  I  'd  rather  you  'd 

call  me  George." 

The  fifth  assistant  applied,  and  was  at  once  engaged. 
Then  came  "  Freiichy  "  to  know  if  we  would  employ  a  friend 
of  his,  but  George  said  he  had  as  many  hands  as  he  could 
keep  occupied.  E wanted  some  water  for  cooking  pur- 
poses, so  the  "  man  with  long  hair  "  was  told  off  to  assist  us, 
but  when  we  asked  him  to  go  to  the  spring,  of  whose  pure 
water  we  one  and  all  have  spoken  with  great  pride,  he  said, 
"  You  must  not  drink  of  that.  I  live  up  there  on  the  hill, 
and  if  you  could  see  the  stuff  the  folks  on  the  top  throw  into 
it,  you  'd  never  touch  it."  'T  was  like  a  thunder-clap  from 
a  clear  .sky.  We  called  our  neighbours  in  consultation,  and 
found  that  they  had  known  of  it  for  the  past  two  or  three 


Trials  of  Building  291 

daj-s,  but  had  feared  alarming  us  by  imparting  the  informa- 
tion, so  they  had  gone  some  distance  whenever  called  upon 
to  fill  our  water-buckets.  They  requested  me  to  call  the 
attention  of  the  sanitary  authorities  in  Dawson  to  the  out- 
rage, which  imperilled  life  and  health,  saying  that  much 
greater  attention  was  paid  to  the  request  of  a  woman,  and 
that,  the  regulation  once  made,  they  would  promptly  enforce 
the  law,  and  woe  to  the  man  who  then  dared  to  pollute  the 
spring. 

At  10  A.M.  Jones  and  Von  M turned  up,   each  one 

with  an  invitation  to  go  in  his  boat  to  Dawson.     As  I  had 

important    business,    E promised    to   superintend   the 

builders.  Ivan  accompanied  us,  wearing  his  fine  new  collar 
for  the  first  time.  As  we  were  now  preparing  to  leave  for 
the  "  outside,"  and  could  not  take  our  pets  with  us,  we  had 
accepted  Jones's  offer  to  raffle  the  parrot,  which  he  took  in 
his  canoe.  On  nearing  the  banks  of  Dawson,  there  was  the 
usual  difficult}-  in  working  one's  way  through  the  rafts, 
which  crowded  the  water-front  to  the  obstruction  and  annoy- 
ance of  all  boat  owners.     My  first  visit  was  to  the  post-office  ; 

Ivan  alone  accompanied  me,  as  Von  M and  Jones  were 

fully  occupied  in  carrying  the  heavy  boxes  to  the  O vSis- 

ters'  Theatre  where  our  performance  was  to  take  place.  ' '  The 
mail  arrived  yesterday,  but  will  not  be  ready  for  distribution 
until  the  second  or  third  o^  September,"  was  the  answer  to 
my  question.  "  How  soon  will  j-ou  send  a  mail  to  the 
United  States?"  —  "We  closed  one  j-esterday  at  five 
o'clock?" — "Oh,  what  hard  luck!  Is  there  no  way  of 
overtaking  it?"  I  asked.  —  "Just  a  chance,  madam  ;  it  was 
sent  on  board  the  Ora,  which  may  not  have  sailed  yet,  so 
if—"  but  off  I  dashed  to  catch  the  Ora,  which  had  blown 
her  last  whistle  a  few  moments  previously.  Down  the  wharf 
I  rushed,  with  Ivan  at  my  side,  for  whom  an  admiring  crowd 
made  ready  space.  Many  willing  hands  were  extended  as  I 
jumped  on  board  the  steamer,  and  the  purser  kindly  accepted 
my  batch  of  letters. 

From  there  to  L 's.     The  great  man  was  behind  the 

counter  of  his  little  shop,  in  his  shirt-sleeves,  waiting  on  aa 


292         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Indian  who  was  trj-ing  to  drive  a  sharp  bargain  over  some 
cups  and  saucers.  I  asked  about  our  long-delayed  cargo  ; 
told  him  of  the  great  loss  we  had  sustained,  and  that  during 
our  months  of  waiting  another  animatoscope  had  forestalled 
us.  He  replied  that  we  would  be  very  lucky  if  we  were  not 
forced  to  pay  the  freight  to  the  agents  of  the  Ridcout,  as 
many  other  passengers  had  done,  with  the  hope  of  collecting 
from  the  Johnson-Locke  Company  (with  which  he  had  sev- 
ered connection  some  time  previously)  on  returning  to  San 
Francisco.  He  said,  however,  that  our  cargo  had  been 
turned  over  to  the  Collector  of  Customs,  to  whom  we  must 
!iow  apply.  He  added  that  he  was  leaving  for  New  York 
on  the  eleventh,  and  when  I  said  that  we  had  been  obliged 
to  postpone  our  date  of  departure  from  the  first  to  the 
fifteenth,  shook  his  head  and  thought  that  we  were  running 
a  great  risk,  as,  in  case  the  water  fell,  or  the  ice  formed,  we 
might  be  shut  in  for  the  winter.  I  hurried  to  the  Customs 
Office,  which  is  in  the  same  building  as  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company,  and,  meeting  a  fellow-passenger,  was  told 
to  remain  below,  as  the  collector  was  a  friend  of  his,  and 
that  he  would  have  our  aifairs  attended  to  at  once.  I  gladly 
waited,  seated  on  the  counter,  Dawson  fashion,  and  held  a  re- 
ception.    S ,  W ,  M ,  Dr.  C ,  and  any  number 

of  others.  S came  to  say  good-bj^e,  as  he  was  just  leav- 
ing "  for  the  outside"   on  the  Hannah.     "  I  've  fixed  it," 

said ,  as  he  came  down-stairs.    "  He  'U  be  ready  to  clear 

your  things  to-morrow  morning  at  ten  o'clock." — "  But  we 
must  have  the  animatoscope  at  once ;  that  's  what  I  came 

over  for, — to  teach  Von  M how  to  run  it.     Won't  he  let 

me  have  just  that  ?  "  — "  I  'd  rather  you  would  n't  ask  him. 
I  '11  do  it  if  j-ou  saj-  so,  but  advise  strongly  against  it." 

After  a  hurried  consultation  with  Von  M ,  we  concluded 

that,  after  so  much  delaj',  twent3--four  hours  more  would 
matter  very  little. 

Starting  out,  K came  running  breathless,  holding  a 

home  letter  high  in  air,  saying,  "  I  saw  this  at  the  post- 
office,  and  coaxed  them  to  give  it  to  me  for  you."  Down  I 
sat  on  a  box  in  front  of  a  shop  and  eagerly  read  :  "  Colorado 


JT- 


294         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Springs,  July  13th.     My  dear  Mrs.  H .     This  letter  will 

probably  never  reach  you,  but  if  it  should,  it  will  assure  you 
how  greatly  I  am  interested  in  you^nd  your  ventures,"  etc. 

"  Letter  from  home?     Good  news?"  called  Q ,  as  he 

stopped,  carrying  me  back  from  Colorado  to  Dawson,  and 
reminding  me  that  I  must  visit  the  Crown  Timber  Agent 
and  paj-  the  tax  on  the  lumber.  "  How  much  do  you  intend 
to  tax  a  poor  widow  for  the  few  logs  she  uses  in  building  her 
cabin?"  said  I,  entering  his  oflSce.  He  laughed,  and,  as 
though  the  matter  had  never  before  been  referred  to  him,  in- 
quired, "  How  many  logs  ?  What  length  ?  How  many  feet 
for  the  house  ?  " — when  I  interrupted  him,  saying,  "  Do  not 
forget  that  I  maj'  spend  the  winter  in  Ottawa,  where  I  shall 
have  a  chance  of  reporting  j'ou  if  3^our  taxes  are  too  steep." 
■ — "  That  would  be  the  best  thing  that  could  happen  to  me, 
if  you  would  let  them  know  that  I  'm  collecting  a  goodly 
amount  for  the  Government."  "  Make  out  your  bill  quickly," 
said  I,  "as  this  is  a  busy  day  ;  and  bear  in  mind  all  the 
solemn  warnings  to  those  who  impose  upon  the  widow  and 
the  fatherless."  He  chuckled,  cast  a  side-glance  at  the  few 
men  sitting  about,  whose  grins  straightway  disappeared, 
leaving  the  usual  look  of  gloom  upon  their  countenances, 
and  then  said,  "  Would  j-ou  mind  coming  again  when  I  have 
more  time  to  attend  to  it  ?  " 

Glancing  at  my  list,  I  saw  that  E had  jotted  down 

pearline  or  washing  soda.  From  one  end  of  the  town  to 
the  other  I  went  in  search  of  it,  in  every  shop,  but  only 
one  tiny  box  was  to  be  obtained,  containing  about  an  ounce, 
price  two  dollars  and  fifty  cents. 

The  commissions  finished,  I  went  back  to  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company,  to  await  Jones  and  the  boat,  and  sat 

on  a  box  outside  the  store.     Miss  B joined  me,  saying 

that  she  intended  to  remain  "  in  "  for  the  winter,  and  was 
going  to  live  in  a  cabin  up  the  creek,  where  the  miners  had 
been  most  kind  and  hospitable,  and  had  not  only  given  her 
food  but  had  also  slept  in  the  open  air,  and  turned  over  to 
her  their  log  house  during  her  short  stay. 

Mrs.  M stopped  to  inquire  when  we  should  be  able  to 


Trials  of  Building  295 

leave.  She  said  that  her  husband  was  doing  very  well,  get- 
ting never  less  than  sixteen  dollars  a  visit  from  each  of  his 
patients,  and  that,  though  she  dreaded  the  thought,  she  felt 
that  she  must  remain  through  the  ice  aud  suow. 

At  2.30  Jones  came  to  row  me  back.     We  found  Dr.  C 

calling  on  E ,  who  was  deep  in  the  work  of  making  out 

lists  of  our  music,  slides,  and  films.     No  sooner  had  I  seated 

myself  at  the  lunch-table  than  Mrs.  R ,  Miss  D ,  and 

her  small  sister  appeared.     They  had  heard  that  we  were 

about  to  leave  and  said  that  M had  made  their  mouths 

water  at  the  thought  of  the  delicious  food  we  had  brought  in 
and  begged  us  to  sell  to  them  rather  than  lock  the  articles 
in  our  cabin  or  take  them  back.  We  allowed  them  to  look 
over  the  lists,  to  taste  the  tomato  soup  and  the  cider,  the 
fame  of  which  had  gone  abroad,  and  promised  to  let  them 
have  what  they  wanted,  upon  condition  that  they  should 
find  out  Dawson  prices  for  the  desired  articles,  saving  that 
we  would  sell  for  a  little  less. 

K ,  Von  M ,  Jones,  and  W spent  the  evening, 

but,  although  the  little  stove  around  which  we  gathered  was 
of  a   deep   red   hue,    and   we   were   wrapped   in    furs    and 

plaidies,"  we  were  in  a  half-frozen  condition.  A  number 
of  our  neighbours  dropped  in  and  exchanged  yarns.  One 
told  us  a  particularly  good  bear  story,  to  which  it  is  quite 
impossible  for  me  to  do  justice,  and  of  his  experiences  in 
"  coming  in."  He  and  his  partner  were  passing  through  a 
thick  copse  of  wood  with  about  fiftj'  pounds  each  strapped 
on  their  backs,  when  they  heard  an  unearthly  howl  and  saw 
before  them  a  bear  with  two  cubs.  "  My  partner,  who  had 
never  seen  a  bear  before,  gave  only  one  glance  at  this  one  as 
she  rose  on  her  hind  legs,  turned  ashy  white,  and  made  for 
the  creek,  into  which  he  jumped,  although  well  aware  of  the 
fact  that  it  would  carrj'  him  down-stream  at  a  rapid  rate. 
The  bear  had  been  hidden  from  ns  by  a  lot  of  wood,  which 
had  been  prepared  for  sluice-boxes.  With  my  heav^-  pack 
it  was  difficult  for  me  to  reach  my  rifle,  so  I  began  to  go 
backwards  as  quickly  as  possible,  while  tr3-ing  to  unhitch  it. 
The  tv.'o  cubs  climbed  a  tree,   but   the   mother  advanced 


296         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

steadily.  She  was  very  near  when  I  finally  managed  to  get 
a  shot,  wounding  her  in  the  neck.  This  delayed  her  for  a 
moment,  but  caused  her  to  be  more  ferocious  than  ever. 
The  second  shot  laid  her  out  long  enough  for  me  to  take 
good  aim  and  kill  her.  I  left  the  cubs  to  look  out  for  them- 
selves, and  started  in  search  of  G .     He  had  been  picked 

up  by  some  men  in  a  boat,  and  joined  me  towards  evening,, 
very  much  ashamed  of  his  inglorious  conduct." 

E told  of  a  visit  Isaacs  had  paid  her  during  the  day, 

and  of  the  following  conversation  :  "  I  'm  sorry  I  did  n't 

understand  you  ladies  better,  but  Mrs.  H always  seemed 

so  'aughty-like  to  me  that  I  did  n't  realise  she  was  book- 
writin'  and  could  n't  be  disturbed,  but  used  to  get  hangrj- 
'cause  she   never  joined   in   my   conversation.     Now  you, 

Miss  V ,  if  j'ou  did  n't  talk  to  rae  I  thought  it  was  'cause 

Mrs.  H frowned  upon  it  and  that  made  me  'ot,  and  so  I 

would  n't  do  what  you  told  me  to  ;  but  sTnce  I  've  been  out 
on  me  lay,  I  've  been  thinking  it  over,  and  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  I  could  get  on  first-rate  now  ;  and  then  you 
did  have  such  nice  daint}'  luxuries  to  eat  that  a  man  never 
sees  out  'ere.  By  the  way,  have  you  received  your  cargo 
yet  ?  Do  you  know  what  the  story  is  over  in  town  ?  '  That 
the  haristocracy  's  living  hover  in  the  big  tent  with  a 
grave-robber  to  take  care  of  them.'  Suppose  you  've  'eard 
me  called  the  grave-robber  ?  Not  a  word  o'  truth  in  it.  I 
never  overturned  a  shovelful.  I  will  admit  that  I  had  ar- 
ranged with  some  of  the  fellows  (and  some  that  you  'd  be 
surprised  to  know  of,  if  Zeke  should  give  a'ou  their  names, 
but  'e  's  not  telling  anj'  tales)  to  open  the  grave  of  an  Indian 
chief  and  take  out  a  lot  of  curios,  but  some'ow  or  other  we 
never  managed  to  do  it.  Zeke  got  the  reputation  for  it  all 
right,  and  the  others  went  scot-free,  but  'e  never  peached. 
Now  there  's  a  lot  of  the  boys  on  this  side  an'  the  bother  as 
swells  around  in  j-our  heasy  chairs,  an'  they  're  no  better 
than  Zeke  (for  he  always  looked  out  for  j'our  interest),  an* 

they  are  a-tryiu'  to  do  you.     There  was  that  little  Dr.  . 

I  made  up  me  mind  as  'ow  'e  was  tryin'  to  get  money  from 
you  to  put  in  a  lot  o'  schemes  as  was  no  good,  but  I  basked 


Trials  of  Building  297 

everj'where  and  found  out  that  'e  was  all  right,  and  so  I  said 
nothink,  but  I  kep'  me  eyes  open,  an'  sez  I,  Zeke  '11  not 
hinterfere  unless  they  try  to  do  some  hactive  hinjury  to 
those  ladies,  an'  as  they  never  did,  I  'eld  me  peace." 

Friday,  September  ad. 

Up  at  six,  and  discussing  with  George  at  seven  the  ad- 
visability of  putting  on  an  extra  force  in  order  to  have  the 
house  finished  in  a  couple  of  days,  as  the  mercury  is  now  at 
forty  degrees,  and  the  place  so  damp  from  the  upturned  earth 
that  my  dreams  were  of  sleeping  in  marshes  and  creeks. 
Warming  the  tent  is  like  trying  to  heat  the  open  air,  for* 
half  of  it  is  raised  in  order  to  admit  one  side  of  the  new 
building.  The  trenches  were  dug  until  they  filled  with 
water,  which  was  drained  off,  and  solid  ice  struck,  on  which 
the  foundations  were  placed.     At  ioa.m.,  as  neither  Jones 

nor  Von  M had  put  in  an  appearance,  Ivan  accompanied 

me  to  the  water's  edge,  to  see  if  there  was  a  chance  of  getting 
across  to  attend  to  the  necessary  commissions.  Two  of  our 
neighbours  from  Ottawa,  the  ones  who  had  presented  us  with 
the  ducks,  had  started,  but  on  seeing  me  called  out  to  know 
if  I  wanted  to  go  to  Dawson,  and  not  only  returned,  but  went 
to  their  cabin  for  a  tiny  camp-stool  to  put  in  the  bottom  of 
the  canoe.     We  were  soon  in  town,  and  as  usual  my  first  \'isit 

was  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  where  M met 

me,  to  assist  in  getting  the  cargo  through  the  Custom  House. 

Up  to  the  office  we  went.  No  collector,  no  assistant  col- 
lector. From  place  to  place  went  my  helpful  friend,  I  not 
daring  to  move  from  the  Alaska  Commercial  Compan\-'s 

platform,  lest  he  should  return  with  Mr.  D .     No  such 

luck,  however,  until  a  few  moments  before  twelve,  when  he 
said,  "  The  collector  will  attend  to  it  directly  after  luncheon 
— about  two  o'clock." — "  Can  he  not  give  me  an  order  to  get 
out  some  few  things  that  I  viust  have  immediately  ?  He 
knows  that  all  charges  will  be  paid,"  so  Mr.  R soon  se- 
cured the  desired  bit  of  paper.     My  reception  then  came  to 

an  end,  and,  accompanied  by  Mr.  Von  M and  Dr.  C , 

we  went  in  search  of  the  storage  warehouse,  to  which  our 


298         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

goods  had  been  taken.  "  What  do  you  ask  for  having  kept 
them  a  day?" — "  Fift}'  dollars,  madam;  there  are  five 
tons." — "  For  one  day  ?  " — "  For  one  day  or  one  month  ; 
we  never  take  them  for  less  time  than  a  month.  Have  you 
clearance  papers?"  He  was  handed  the  valuable  order, 
satisfied  himself,  then  said,  "  You  must  now  find  the  agent 
for  the  Ridcoid  and  paj'  his  dues  before  anything  can  be  re- 
moved." W went  in  one  direction.  Von  M- in  an- 
other, Dr.  C remaining  with  me.     The  agent  shortly 

after  made  his  appearance.  One  of  his  bills  was  forty  dollars 
for  transporting  the  bowling-alley  from  the  steamer  to  the 
Varehouse,  a  distance  of  not  more  than  two  blocks,  but  I  was 
grateful  to  him  for  having  paid  the  bill  instead  of  leaving 
it  in  the  street,  and  found  him  a  most  courteous  man  to  deal 
with.  Von  M— —  and  the  others  soon  found  the  boxes  con- 
taining the  manganese,  the  chloride,  and  the  gasoline,  and 
took  out  enough  to  generate  gas. 

As  we  were  about  to  start  for  the  hall,  Mr.  H appeared, 

saying,  "  I  have  just  been  to  West  Dawson  to  see  about  the 
books,  and  as  I  have  an  offer  for  the  entire  lot  at  twenty- 
five  cents  each, — books,  newspapers,   weeklies,  etc., — Miss 

V considers  that  it  would  be  preferable  to  distributing 

them  between  dozens  who  may  leave  many  on  j'our  hands, 
particularly  as  a  man  is  expected  in  at  any  moment  with  five 
thousand." — "And  3'our  commission?" — "Two  cents  a 
book."     It  was  hard  to  think  of  some  of  them  going  for  that 

price,  but  time  is  growing  short,  so  I  went  with  H and 

his  backer  to  have  the  bags  opened,  and  they  were  delighted 
with  the  appearance  of  our  winter  library.     Down  I  sat  on 

the  floor,  checking  off  as  H counted.     It  was  slow  work 

but,  when  finished,  I  was  given  $153.25  in  gold  dust  for  what 
had   cost   tis    $49.78.       My  "  staff"  were   ready   to  escort 

me  to  the  O Sisters',  when  R pa.ssed,  and  holding 

up  a  bottle  of  malted  milk,  said,  "  Think  of  it  !  four  dollars 

for  this  !  but  poor  A can  live  on  nothing  else,  as  he  has 

typhoid  fever."  I  wanted  to  go  and  help  nurse  him,  but 
upon  learning  that  he  had  secured  the  services  of  a  trained 
nurse,  felt  that  he  would  be  well  cared  for. 


Trials  of  Building  299 

We  entered  the  theatre  through  the  side  door,  and  went 
behind  the  scenes.  Dr.  C studied  the  instructions  care- 
fully, and  in  a  few  moments  was  making  the  lime-hght  as 
though  he  had  been  in  the  business  for  years.  Under  mj^ 
instructions  Von  M — — ,  aided  by  W ,  soon  had  the  ma- 
chine in  position,  and  all  was  working  beautifully,  when  we 
discovered  a  leak  in  the  bags.  The  members  of  the  staff 
here  assured  me  that  as  the\^  now  thoroughly  understood 
the  principle  of  the  thing,  it  would  not  be  necessarj^  for  me 
to  wait,  so  W escorted  me  back  to  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Compan}-  to  keep  my  appointment  with  M ,  who 

was  to  have  crossed  the  river  with  me  at  4  p.m.  As  the  rain 
was  then  coming  down  in  torrents,  we  sought  shelter  in  a 
warehouse  near  the  boat  and  seated  ourselves  on  a  couple 
of  boxes. 

"  John  tells  me  5-ou  '11  not  be  able  to  leave  Dawson  before 
the  eleventh,"  said  he.  "  No  ;  we  have  our  house  to  finish 
and  all  our  cargo  to  store  in  it  before  we  can  get  away." 
"  Well,  I  must  get  my  ticket  so  as  to  be  on  hand  to  help  j^ou 
over  the  summit,  for  if  so  many  passengers  are  a-going, 
you  '11  have  to  walk  faster  than  you  did  on  the  trail  to  the 
mines.  And  I  must  get  a  man  to  work  your  Bear  Creek 
mine  for  j'ou.  You  '11  just  give  him  a  lease  for  the  winter, 
and  he  gets  half  he  takes  out,  and  in  the  spring  j-ou  '11  be 
coming  back  again  to  see  the  clean-up,"  and  this  kindly 
fellow  seemed  to  take  as  much  interest  in  the  mine  as  though 
it  were  his  own.  "  You  know  you  asked  me  to  tell  j-ou  of 
anything  fine  I  might  see.  Well,  there  's  a  claim  that  I  can 
get  for  three  thousand  dollars,  and  it  's  in  the  Gulch  too. 
I  've  bought  so  many  miles  of  claims  that  I  can  afford  to  let 

a  good  one  go  to  a  friend,  and  it  's  A M that  says 

it  will  be  worth  next  year  a  cool  hundred  thousand."     Mrs. 

U here  joined  us  and  had  a  short  conversation  with  this 

Klondike  King,  whom  I  presented  to  her.     Six  o'clock  came 

and  she  left.     Men  had  already  discovered  "  Big  A 's  " 

whereabouts,  and  were  hanging  about,  ready  to  buttonhole 
him,  while  two  members  of  my  .staff  were  waiting  for  me. 
"  I  '11  come  to-morrow  to  the  '  big  tent '  at  six  o'clock,  if 


300         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

you  want  me,"  said  A — — ,  as  I  was  about  to  leave,  "  al- 
though some  business  may  keep  me  from  it." 

As  Von  M and  W were  escorting  me  to  the  boat, 

the  former  was  called  away.  After  a  few  moments  he  re- 
turned laughing,  and  said,  "  Here  's  a  good  joke  on  some- 
one !  '  Arizona  Charlie  '  wants  to  see  me  at  eight  o'clock  this 
evening  on  important  business.  Evidently  since  the  ex- 
plosion his  man  can't  run  his  show,  and  he  probably  thinks 
I  'm  an  expert."  We  conjured  up  all  sorts  of  reasons  for  the 
appointment — perhaps  that  he  wanted  to  buy  us  out  at  a 
large  figure.     It  was  quite  late  when  we  reached  the  tent, 

where  E sat  hugging  the  stove.     She  had  been  almost 

drowned  out  by  the  rain,  and  was  greatly  discouraged,  as 
the  men  had  all  stopped  work.  She  heated  some  macaroni 
and  cheese  for  us,  and  gave  us  some  beans,  toast,  and  prunes, 
which  we  ate  with  the  usual  relish.     As  we  got  into  Von 

M 's  canoe  to  come  across  we  found  that  another  raft  had 

come  in  and  blocked  all  chance  of  exit.  Von  M com- 
menced untying  the  knot  when  a  coarse  voice  shouted, 
"  Don't  you  dare  to  touch  that  raft!  "  "  I  '11  not  only  touch 
it,  but  will  cut  it  and  let  it  float  down-stream  if  you  talk  in 

that  style!  "  shouted  Von  M ,  who  was  tired  and  hungry, 

having  eaten  nothing  since  early  morn.  This  language  had 
its  effect  in  bringing  down  the  owner  of  the  raft  with  a  couple 
of  men  who  said  in  apologetic  tones,  "  I  sa}-,  pardner,  no 
offence  ;  I  did  n't  know  you  could  n't  get  out,"  and  they 
worked  to  such  good  effect  that  in  a  few  moments  a  passage- 
way was  opened  for  which  Von  M thanked  them  as  cor- 

diallj'  as  though  there  had  been  no  harsh  language.  When 
we  neared  the  bank  Ivan  jumped  out  on  a  rock  which  was 
so  slippery  that  he  fell  back  into  the  water  and  could  not 

gain  a  foothold.      Mr.   B clutched  him  by  the  collar, 

which  was  more  beautiful  than  useful  and  promptly  slipped 
over  the  dog's  head.  After  a  struggle  of  at  least  five  min- 
utes, in  which  nn-  heart  was  in  my  mouth,  he  was  safely 
landed,  and  ran  to  the  tent  shaking  and  shivering. 

After  dinner,  as  the  "  boys  "  were  all  gathered  around  our 
stove  spinning  j-arns,  Y said,  "  Oh,  Mrs.  H !     An- 


Trials  of  Building  301 

other  Klondike  King  has  come  to  town.  I  walked  to  the 
post-office  with  him,  where  he  got  such  a  fuunj-  letter  that 
I  begged  him  to  lend  it  to  me  for  j-oii  to  see."  "  How  good 
of  \-ou  !  Read  it  aloud  !  "  said  I,  and  we  listened  to  the  fol- 
lowing : 

"  Mr :  I  am  going  to  write  3-ou  a  few  lines.    It  will  be 

very  strange  for  j-ou  to  get  this.  You  will  perhaps  think 
this  is  surely  a  scheme.  But  I  see  in  the  paper  of  your  im- 
mense wealth,  and  I  thought  perhaps  you  would  buy  back 
my  Home  that  we  lost  about  eight  years  ago  and  I  had 
worked  so  hard  to  get,  but  reverses  in  Business  we  lost  it  but 
I  do  so  much  wish  you  would  Buy  it  and  if  you  ever  come 
back  and  have  uo  one  to  take  care  of  j-ou  I  would  gladly  do 
so.  I  know  J-ou  have  plenty  money,  and  on  that  you  could 
get  an\-tliing  j-ou  Desired  but  you  know  that  many  a  man 
has  had  lots  and  lost  it  you  can  buy  my  Home,  and  realy 
you  would  not  miss  it  out  of  so  much  monej'  as  you  have, 
and  I  could  live  in  it  again  and  I  pay  the  taxes,  and  the 
Deed  in  3-our  name  and  if  you  come  back  to  the  States  you 
will  have  a  nice  Home     We  sold  it  for  Twenty  Hundred 

Dollars  and  it  is  No Street now  if  you  don't 

want  to  do  that,  you  can  tell  me  how  I  can  invest  a  few 
dollars  out  there  that  would  make  me  that  much.  To  get 
my  Home  back  I  would  even  gone  out  there  myself  as  I  have 

a  friend  Mrs.  ■ of that  was  going  with  her  husband, 

but  at  last  they  gave  it  up  and  I  had  n't  enough  monev  to 
go  myself.  I  am  not  a  young  woman  any  more,  and  I  would 
send  you  one  of  my  Pictures  but  am  afraid  you  would  perhaps 
Ridicule  it  I  could  write  you  a  whole  lot  more,  but  if  you 
should  get  this  and  answer,  and  I  hope  \-ou  will.  You  maj*  per- 
haps call  this  a  Polite  way  of  begging  But  I  don' t  mean  it  that 
way  at  all.  You  Buy  the  Place,  get  the  Abstract,  and  I 
live  there  But  it  will  be  in  your  own  name,  and  if  I  should 
die  without  seeing  you  It  will  be  the  same.  No  one  has  so 
much  money  that  they  could  afford  to  invest  so  much  that 
would  only  bring  them  so  small  Interest  on  their  Money. 
But  ever  since  I  read  about  you  in  the  paper  I  had  thought 
of  writing  But  I  could  not  hardly  do  so,  as  I  was  afraid  you 


302         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

would  think  I  was  a  fraud,  but  I  signs  nij-  own  name,  and 
will  give  you  refiference  when  you  write  to  me.     Respectfully 

your  true  friend Box " 

"  I  can  get  a  better  one  than  that  for  you.     D D 


received  it  last  week  after  some  correspondent  sent  a  letter 
to  his  paper  in  Kalamazoo,  telling  how  rich  he  was. "  "  And 
I  '11  get  you  a  fine  one,"  said  another,  "  if  you  want  to  make 
a  collection.  Those  who  strike  it  rich  receive  them  by  the 
hundred,  and  I  really  think  they  ought  to  publish  them, 
names  and  all,  because  it 's  becoming  a  perfect  nui.sance." 

As  we  were  planning  to  have  our  cargo  moved  from  the 
warehouse  to  our  new  cabin,  which  is  to  be  finished  in  a  few 

days.  Colonel  O advised  us  strongly  not  on  any  account 

to  do  so,  saying,  "  Never  mind  how  strong  the  lock,  should 
the  winter  be  a  hard  one,  people  knowing  of  the  comforts 
and  luxuries  not  being  used,  and  thinking  you  enormoiLsly 
wealthy,  would  be  too  greatly  tempted  to  help  themselves." 
The  other  men  in  the  party  all  agreed  with  him,  and  advised 
us  strongly  to  dispose  at  once  of  everything  which  we  can- 
not use,  and  which  we  do  not  care  to  pay  heavy  freight  upon. 
Jones  came  in  and  announced  that  the  parrot,  which  was 
being  raffled  for  fifty  dollars,  had  dropped  from  its  perch  and 
died  shortly  after. 


CHAPTER    XXIV 


BUSINESS   PROPOSITIOXS 

Saturday,  September  3d. 

UP  at  half-past  five  to  write  yesterday's  experiences  before 
the  arrival  of  the  men  and  the  interruptions  consequent 
thereon.  Mercury  thirty-nine  degrees  !  Almost  too  cold  to 
hold  a  pen.  Never  before  have  I  so  appreciated  sunshine 
nor  so  longed  for  the  gorgeous  orb  to  make  its  appearance. 
At  seven,  one  of  the  men  gathered  wood  and  started  a  fire, 
which  scarcel}'  made  any  difference  in  the  atmosphere.  A 
man  appeared  asking  for  work,  saying  that  he  and  his  part- 
ners were  in  great  need  of  money.  On  learning  the  terms, 
he  went  back  to  inform  them,  and  returned,  saying,  "  We 
don't  care  to  take  it  for  so  little  as  seven  dollars  and  a  half  a 
day."  As  we  sit  in  steamer  chairs  shivering  with  the  cold, 
while  watching  the  slow  work  on  our  new  cabin,  how  incon- 
gruous seems  the  note  just  written  to  the  postmaster  to 
change  our  address  from  Dawson,  Yukon  Territory,  to  Palace 
Hotel,  San  Francisco  !  How  impossible  seems  the  thought 
of  being  in  the  midst  of  luxuries  once  more,  of  having  a  nice 
warm  room  in  which  to  dress,  and  to  choose  just  what  one 
likes  to  eat.  We  shall  have  to  live  on  the  American  plan 
this  time,  as  the  European  would  cost  us  a  small  fortune 
with  the  appetites  we  now  have  in  reserve.  Yet  how  often 
shall  we  find  the  rooms  overheated,  the  atmosphere  that  of 
a  conservator}.',  the  life  limited  and  restrained,  and  long  for 
the  wilderness  and  the  freedom  thereof.  A  taste  of  such 
liberty  as  this  must  finally  spoil  one  for  civilisation. 

Breakfast  over.  Von  M came  to  inquire  if  I  would  be 

303 


304         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ready  to  go  to  town  by  ten  o'clock.  ' '  That  will  give  me  just 
time  to  make  mj'  bread,"  said  he.     "  Why  do  you  bother 

with  making  it  ?     We  're  going  to  buy  ours,"  E replied. 

"  So  should  I  if  I  had  the  shekels,"  laughed  Von  M , 

as  he  strode  off  to  his  tent.     Mr.  J and  Mr.  B were 

also  invited  to  cross  in  Von  M 's  canoe,  and  as  we  had 

the  Criterion,  the  music  sheets,  and  the  magic-lantern  slides 
to  take,  Ivan  was  left  at  home  notwithstanding  his  loud  and 

vigorous  protests.      J had  an  appointment  and  left  us 

as  soon  as  we  touched  shore.  B and  Von  M com- 
menced to  lift  the  box  containing  the  heavj'  Criterion  which 
was  to  play  the  music  for  the  moving  pictures,  the  weight 
of  which  far  exceeds  one  hundred  pounds,  "  Hire  some  men 
for  that;  you  will  break   your  backs,"  I   urged.     "Then 

we  're  of  no  use  for  this  countr3%"  retorted  Von  M ,  as 

he  climbed  the  steep  hill  and  with  B staggered  to  the 

"  hall."  I  followed  with  the  magic-lantern  .slides,  taking 
them  to  a  room  which  the  staff  had  engaged  for  the  purpose 
of  practising. 

They  said  they  should  not  need  me  for  some  time,  so  off  I 
went  to  the  Alaska  Commercial   Company,   meeting  Miss 

,  who  said,  "  I  was  just  watching  for  you.     You  must 

let  us  have  some  of  those  articles  which  you  expected  to  use 
this  winter  had  you  remained.  Papa  wants  to  see  you  also, 
for  3-ou  have  many  things  which  we  need,  and  shall  not  be 
able  to  have  sent  in  until  next  spring  or  summer.  Won't 
3-ou  come  with  me?  Papa  's  just  gone  up  the  street,  and 
we  '11  overtake  him  in  a  moment,"  and  the  attractive  young 
girl  waited  for  me  while  my  commissions  were  attended  to  at 
the  Alaska  Connnercial  Company,  then  accompanied  me  to 
the  Recorder's  office,  she  in  search  of  her  father,  I,  to  find 

Captain  B to  induce  him  to  have  some  action  taken, 

some  law  passed,  in  regard  to  our  pollnted  spring.  There 
was  a  dense  crowd  of  miners  at  the  door  who  had  been 
standing  in  line  for  days,  hoping  to  record  claims  to  which 
they  had  tramped,  then  prospected,  and  finally  staked,  but 
they  politely  made  way  for  us  to  euter.  Both  of  our  men 
had  left. 


Business  Propositions  305 

As  we  started  back  I  was  stopped  by  the  proprietor  of 

Hotel,  who,  introducing  himself,  said,  "  Thej-  tell  nie 

that  you  and  Miss  V have  been  waiting  here  all  summer 

for  your  winter's  supplies,  and  that  now  just  as  the}'  've 
come  you  're  both  '  going  out.'  Every bodj-  supposes  as  how 
the  grub  that  you  have  got  is  such  stuff  as  one  can't  buy 
here,  and  as  it  would  n't  be  safe  to  lock  it  up  for  the  winter 
with  a  lot  o'  starvin'  men  about,  I  'm  ready  to  take  the 
whole  lot  of  it  off  your  hands  ;  and  if  you  don't  sell  it  to  me, 
I  '11  have  to  go  out  over  the  Pass  an'  then  like  as  not,  be 
kept  out  until  it   's  too  late.      Another  man  approached. 

"  Is  this  Mrs.  H ?     I  am  Mr.  C .     Heard  that  M 

had  begged  you  to  bring  in  an  animatoscope  show  for  him, 
and  that  after  you  got  it  here  you  had  concluded  not  to  let 
him  have  it.  Now,  if  you  've  made  no  other  arrangements, 
I  should  like  to  buy  out  the  entire  outfit,  as  I  have  much 
idle  time  on  my  hands,  my  cargo  not  having  arrived.  I  've 
travelled  all  over  the  countrj^  showing  '  moving  pictures  ' 
of  every  description.  '  Arizona  Charlie  '  wants  me  to  run 
his  (suppose  you  heard  that  he  's  had  an  explosion),  but  I 
have  refused,  as  I  want  to  start  one  of  my  own,  and  the}'  tell 
me  you  ladies  got  the  very  best  of  everything  to  give  that 

protege  of  yours."     Mr.  D here  interrupted,  asking  if 

he  might  see  my  invoice  of  winter's  supplies,  and  if  he  might 
have  first  choice. 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  a  man,  raising  his  hat,  "  but  can't  I 
interrupt  for  just  one  momen  t  ?  Hearing  that  you  ladies  had 
just  received  your  winter's  supplies,  as  you  were  going  back 
home,  and  making  sure  you  would  n't  take  them  '  out '  with 
you,  paying  fifteen  to  twenty-five  cents  freight,  nor  lock 
them  up  where  so  many  will  need  'em,  shut  in  here  all 
winter,  I  made  so  bold  as  to  go  over  to  the  '  big  tent,'  where 

I  saw  Miss  V ,  and  told  her  I  'd  take  the  entire  cargo, 

which  she  said  would  be  nnich  better  than  dividing  it  up 
among  all  who  are  trying  to  get  it."     "  Good-morning,  Mrs. 

H ,"  said  H .     "  My  friend,  ,  the  stationer,  is 

about  out  of  stock  and  wants  to  know  if  you  won't  let  him 
iave  your  winter's  supply  instead  of  locking  it  up  ;  and  as 


3o6 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


for  groceries,  there  's  a  comer  in  the  ninrket  and  vow 
can  make  a  verj'  handsome  profit,  if  you  will  dispose  of 
j-ours." 

During  these  interviews  I  had  continued  the  walk  down 
to  the  Customs  Office  ;  entered,  and  received  a  bill  for 
$263  duties  !  "  Will  you  give  me  the  bill  to  show  Miss 
V ?  " — "  No,  certainly  not  !  " — "  Not  even  a  receipt  ?  '* 


THE  STATIONER'S  STORE. 


I  queried.  "  Why,  no  !  You  've  got  your  goods,  and 
you  've  paid  for  them  ;  what  more  do  you  want  ?  "  On  my 
way  out,  I  was  joined  by  R ,  who  said  that  he  had  en- 
gaged the  only  cabin  on  the  Ora  for  E and  me,  and  ad- 
vised us  to  take  our  robes  and  pillows,  as  the  bunks  were 
not  furnished,  and  we  should  be  obliged  to  "  turn  in"  on 

a  piece  of  stretched  canvas.     Then  came  M ,  who  said, 

"  Had  such  fun  at  the  masquerade  ball  last  night  !     I  went 


Business  Propositions  307 

as  a  giddy  blonde,  dressed  decollcti,  with  short  skirts  and 
stockings  filled  with  chips,  and  wore  long  golden  curls  ;  I 
would  n't  have  missed  it  for  the  world,  for  '  Nigger  Jim  ' 
spent  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  in  chips  and  drinks  on 
me,  before  he  discovered  I  was  a  man." 

Mrs.  U next  came  and  seated  herself  at  my  side  on 

the  Alaska  Commercial  Company's  platform,  where  we 
chatted  for  half  an  hour  while  waiting  for  my  trust}-  boat- 
man. Then  I  saw  long  strides,  and  handsome  M ap- 
proached. "It  is  only  five,"  said  I,  "  and  \o\x  were  not 
to  go  over  till  six.  What  a  pleasant  surprise  !  " — "  I  only 
just  came  to  chat  for  a  moment  and  to  know  if  you  really 
expect  me  at  six."     Receiving  a  reply  in  the  affirmative,  he 

left  as  R joined  me,  only  to  be  buttonholed  by  two  men 

as  he  was  saying,  "  I  Ml  be  back  in  an  hour."     "  I  want  to 

lay  a  proposition  before  you,"  said  R .     "  A  friend  of 

mine  has  just  staked  a  splendid  claim  on  Creek,  No. 

— .  He  is  the  first  one  on  it,  but  can't  get  into  the  Re- 
corder's office,  and  fears  that  someone  will  discover  its  value 
— some  man  with  a  pull  who  can  get  in  there  before  him. 
He  needs  money  so  badly  that  if  you  will  let  him  have  a 
hundred  dollars  and  get  one  of  your  friends  to  help  him  in 
to  record  his  claim,  he  will  give  j-ou  one  quarter  interest  in 
it."  "  I  'm  awfully  sorry  !  It  's  easy  for  a  woman  to  enter 
there,  owing  to  the  great  courtesy  of  the  miners,  but  how  to 
get  a  man  in  is  a  problem  quite  beyond  me." 

"  Have  been  looking  for  you  everywhere.     A 's  ready 

and  waiting, ' '  interrupted  the  cheerj'  voice  of  Jones.     ' '  Have 

you  finished  all  your  business  ?     Miss  V sent  me  for 

you."  So  with  two  escorts  down  the  bank,  into  the  canoe 
I  went,  and  was  speedily  rowed  across  by  the  stout  arms  of 

good  old  Jones.     In  landing,  M attempted  to  assist  me 

up  a  bank  much  steeper  than  the  place  where  we  generally 
landed.     Jones,  who  was  tying  the  boat  called  out,  "  She 

can't  do  that  ;  go  around  the  other  way,"  to  which  A 

replied,  "  If  she  's  going  over  the  summit,  the  quicker  she 
learns  the  better,"  and  with  the  aid  of  his  strong  hand,  I 
sprang  lightly  over  ground  from  which  I  should  have  shrunk 


o 


08         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


ill  fear  and  trembling  onlj-  a  few  months  ago.  "  By  gosh  ! 
you  're  a  trump  !  There  's  nobody  Hving  in  these  parts 
could  do  better  than  that,"  said  my  trusty  guide.  "  Is  the 
summit   very   much   more    diificult    than   this?"    I   asked 

anxiously.     "  You  bet  !  "  replied  "  Big  A "  with  such 

an  air  of  conviction  that  my  heart  sank,  and  doubts  began 
to  arise  as  to  whether  I  should  dare  attempt  so  perilous  a 
trip. 

E had  a  nice  dinner  ready  for  us — her  fish  with  sauce 

hoUandaise  being  delicious.     M was  preoccupied,  and 

had  little  to  say,  but,  in  walking  out  before  the  tent,  he 
confided  to  me  that  he  felt  heavily  the  responsibilit}^  of  hav- 
ing offered  to  escort  us  over  the  Pass,  as  business  was  still 
pressing  on  all  sides,  and  so  much  remained  to  be  done  that 
he  greatly  feared  not  being  able  to  leave  by  the  fifteenth 
even,  in  which  case  there  was  danger  of  the  river  freezing  us 
in,  .so  that  we  might  be  obliged  to  spend  the  winter  on  the 
tiny  steamer,  with  scant  provisions  and  perhaps  not  fuel 
enough  to  keep  warm,  and  that,  for  two  such  "  grand  ladies, 
accustomed  to  every  comfort,  would  be  a  terrible  thing.  I 
have  so  many  big  deals  on,  so  many  leases  to  prepare  and 
sign,  so  many  transactions  that  must  be  finished  before  I 
leave,"  said  he,  "  that  I  may  not  know  until  the  last  mo- 
ment on  what  day  I  can  start.  Could  you  be  ready  at  an 
hour's  notice?"  he  inquired  anxiously.  "Sure,"  said  I. 
He  looked  relieved.  "  And  now  will  you  be  excusing  me, 
for  I  have  more  engagements  for  the  night  than  I  well  can 

meet,"  and  with  a  few  pleasant  words  of  adieu  to  E ,  ofi" 

he  went  in  a  tiny  canoe,  when  he  might  have  had  steam- 
launch  and  crew  at  his  command. 

The  rain  is  again  coming  down  in  torrents.  We  are 
worried  beyond  measure  that  the  house,  which  we  had  been 
told  would  be  finished  by  Saturday  night,  is  .still  far  from 
completion,  and  that  the  cost  is  to  be  nearly  eight  times  the 
estimated  price  ;  that  the  principal  part  of  the  animatoscope 
is  missing  ;  and  that  we  may  be  "  frozen  in  "  before  we  can 
get  everything  arranged  satisfactorily.  All  this,  combined 
with  the  rain,  the  general  dampness  of  everything  belonging 


Business  Propositions  309 

to  US,  the  impossibility  of  making  a  fire  burn  with  wet  wood, 
and  the  cliilliness  of  the  air,  had  such  a  depressing  effect  upon 
our  spirits,  that  for  the  first  time  we  felt  thoroughly  inhos- 
pitable, so  shut  up  the  tent,  put  out  the  lights,  and  crawled 
into  our  beds  without  receiving  any  visitors  after  dinner. 
As  may  readil}'  be  imagined  the  thought  of  the  possibility 
of  a  winter  in  these  ic}'  regions  was  far  from  cheering,  and 
as  a  result  we  both  had  verj'  little  sleep. 

Sunday,  September  4th. 

Rain  still  falling  in  torrents.  Ground  so  damp  that  the 
water  oozes  out  wherever  our  feet  touch  the  earth,  even  in 
our  living  part  of  the  tent.  Mercury  thirty-eight  degrees. 
Camping-out  is  no  longer  a  pleasure,  and  we  glance  at  our 
roofless  home,  so  near  and  so  inviting,  wondering  when  we 
shall  be  able  to  move  in.  Oh,  if  the  sun  only  woii/d  come 
out  now  that  we  need  it  so  much  !     After  breakfast  Von 

M appeared  to  ask  if  we  had  anj'  commissions  for  town, 

as  he  was  going  over  and  expected  to  be  able  to  give  the 

show.     While  E prepared  the  breakfast,  I  was  engaged 

in  the  dignified  task  of  gathering  wood,  being  protected 
from  the  rain  by  rubber  boots  and  mackinto.sh.  I  made 
three  attempts  to  start  the  fire,  but,  though  carefully  tended 
and  nurtured,  it  died  upon  each  occasion  a  sudden  death, 
either  from  the  ignorance  of  the  builder,  or  from  the  green- 
ness or  dampness  of  the  wood.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  con- 
venient oil-stove,  we  should  have  gone  hungry.  But  we  were 
in  a  half- frozen  condition,  and  I  was  scarcely  able  to  hold  a 
pen,  when  I  attempted  my  daily  record.  At  ten,  Jones 
arrived,  and,  by  saturating  the  green  wood  with  coal  oil,  he 
soon  had  a  brilliant  flame,  which  was  the  most  cheerful 
event  of  the  morning. 

2.30.  Arrival  of  .some  of  the  "  boys"  from  the Com- 
pany.     After  a  visit   of  half  an   hour   M exclaimed, 

"  Don't  you  want  me  to  make  some  muffins  for  luncheon  ?  " 
— "  What  !  have  you  not  yet  lunched  ?  It 's  three  o'clock." 
— "  No  ;  wanted  to  make  muffins  here,  because  you  enjoy 
them  so — and  so  do  we."     In  a  few  moments,  this  society  boy 


3IO         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

from  home  had  a  pan  of  flour,  corn-meal,  and  butter,  and 
was  deep  in  the  mj-steries  of  the  kitchen.  Such  dehcious 
muffins  !  and  as  we  ate  them,  and  enjoyed  the  other  viands 

which  E prepared,  M said,  "  I  never  told  you  about 

the  wedding.  They  asked  me  to  make  the  cards,  '  nice  and 
neat  and  kinder  fanc)',  with  birds  and  flowers.'  Only  em- 
ployees of  the  Company  were  invited.  They  all  sat  with 
their  feet  under  their  chairs  around  the  stove,  which  was  well 
pulled  out  so  as  not  to  scorch  the  wall-paper.  The  bride  was 
coy,  although  not  terriblj-  embarrassed.  There  would  be 
long  pauses,  and  then  somebody  would  get  up  the  nerve  to 
tell  a  story,   but  there  was  n't  much  laughing,   except  at 

those  S told,  and  of  course  we  had  to  roar  at  those." 

Someone  interrupted,  "  One  does  that  naturally,  for  S 

is  a  most  brilliant  man  at  a  dinner,  and  all  that  he  tells  is 
well  worth  listening  to." — "  That  's  true,  too,  and  we  all 
recognise  it,  but  whether  it  were  so  or  not,  we  'd  feel  obliged 
to  laugh  loud  and  long  just  the  same.  Well  !  to  go  back  to 
the  wedding,  the  champange  flowed  like  water,  and  oh  !  mj^ 
head  !  my  head  !  it  's  awful  ;  and  I  don't  know  what  time 
the  afi"air  came  to  an  end. 

"  Do  let  me  press  another  muffin  upon  you,  Jack.  You 
have  n't  thrown  up  the  sponge  already  ?  Why,  I  'm  just 
beginning  to  lay  in  my  winter's  supply,  and  I  '11  '  lay  to '  on 
the  rest  of  the  muffins  in  a  minute.  I  tell  5-ou  the^-  're  good, 
even  if  I  did  make  'em  myself,  with  these  dainty  paws  of 
mine,  and  it  is  more  fun  picnicking  over  here  than  going 
back  to  the  four-o'clock  dinner.  They  give  us  plenty  of  good 
grub,  but  if  you  're  not  at  your  meals  on  time,  there  's  a 
kick,  and  some  fellow  calls  out,  '  If  ye  had  n't  come  in  just 
when  3-er  did  yer  'd  er  got  swapped  right  in  the  necktie.' 
Excuse  my  Klondike  slang,  ladies,  and  don't  let  my  ma  get 
onto  any  o'  these  fine  expressions,  for  she  's  the  dearest, 
loveliest,  and  most  particular  of  old  ladies  you  ever  beheld, 
but  it  is  such  fun  to  pick  up  all  the  phrases  that  you  dare  n't 
use  at  home,"  and  the  handsome  boy  stuffed  his  tenth  muffin 
into  his  mouth,  and  .sat  with  a  rapt  expression  of  enjoyment. 
Just  then  a  little  field-mouse  ran  near  the  stove,  picking  up 


Business  Propositions  S'l 

the  crumbs  that  had  fallen.  With  a  shriek  I  jumped  up  oii 
the  bench,  calling,  "  Kill  it  !  kill  it  quick  !     Don't  let  it  get 

away,"  while  E was  equallj-  vociferous,  begging  that 

its  life  might  be  spared,  as  it  was  "  a  dear  little  thing,  and 
so  tame, ' '  but  my  terror  caused  the  ' '  boys ' '  to  put  an  end 
to  the  existence  and  future  unhappiness  of  the  rodent,  par- 
ticularly after  E said,  "  Why  I  watched  him  playing  on 

your  mattress  this  morning,  but  never  told  you  for  feqr 
you  'd  make  just  such  a  scene." 

As  we  gathered  around  the  stove  in  which  the  "  boys  " 

had  succeeded  in  building  a  magnificent  fire,   K said, 

"  The  J/rtj  ll'fs^  is  in  with  a  cargo  of  one  hundred  marriage- 
able widows.  I  'd  like  to  cut  the  rope  and  let  her  go  out 
with  them  all,  and  the  boys  are  very  much  inclined  to  do  the 
same,  and  if  you  were  to  see  them  you  'd  think  us  quite 
right.     Such  a  lot  of  frights  the  eyes  of  man  never  beheld  ! 

Now,  Mrs.  H ,  if  you  really  ifo  come  in  next  year,  and 

bring  some  pretty  girls  with  you,  think  what  a  blessing  it 
will  be  for  the  '  boys '  who  cannot  get  on  the  '  outside  ' 
without  imperilling  their  millions  ;  and  how  fine  it  would  be 
for  the  girls  also,  for  you  can  answer  for  us,  and  know  what 
a  splendid  lot  of  husbands  we  would  make."  I  was  not  sur- 
prised to  learn  later  that  the  story  about  the  widows  was  a 
hoax. 

E had  a  long  search  for  the  meat  for  dinner,  but  the 

box  in  which  it  had  been  placed  was  empty,  and  the  bread 
near  it  had  also  disappeared.  Not  a  nook  or  cranny  was  left 
without  thorough  investigation.  At  last  Ivan,  who  had  been 
soundly  sleeping  all  day,  rolled  over  and  revealed  to  us  half 
a  loaf  of  bread,  giving  us  a  decided  clue  to  the  culprit,  who 
was  quite  uncon.scious  of  the  betrayal  of  his  secret.     "  How 

could  he  have  found  it  ?  "  said  E ;  "  I  not  only  hid  it 

deep  in  the  box,  but  covered  it  with  dozens  of  papers." 

After  the  departure  of  M and  his  friend,  the  fire  began 

to  die  out  again,  and  we  were  in  despair,  when  good  Jones 
arrived.  "  I  've  been  a-thinkin'  o'  you  ladies  all  day,"  said 
he,  "  and  wonderin'  if  you  wuz  a-freezin'  to  death,  but 
could  n't  for  the  life  o'  me  git  across  the  river,  and,  as  it  is,  I 


312         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

got  to  be  back  to  a  seven  o'clock  chicken-dinner  ;  bnt  I  sup- 
pose j-our  dude  friends  has  been  here  and  made  you  a  nice 
fire  and  done  your  cookin'  for  j'ou  just  as  John  woukl  'a' 
done  if  he  'd  been  here.  Hulloa  !  what  's  the  nieanin'  o'  all 
them  dirtj'  dishes  ?  Do  you  mean  to  say  they  ctt  with  you 
and  then  left  you  all  them  dirt}'  dishes  to  wash  ?  Well,  did 
j-er  ever  see  the  likes  o'  that  ?  I  tell  you  I  ain't  goin'  to 
Tj'ash  after  them.  I  '11  slave  for  j-ou  and  do  what  no  money 
cud  hire  me  to,  but  them  dudes  kin  just  wash  their  own 
dishes."  "  Quite  right,"  said  we,  as  he  dropped  into  a 
chair  in  a  state  of  indignation.  "  They  generally  do  '  clean 
up'  before  they  go,  but  they  had  n't  time  to-da}-.  We  '11 
do  it  ourselves."  As  we  slowly  made  preparations  to  begin 
work,  Jones  relented  and  said,  "  It  's  a  low  trick  the)'  done 
you,  but  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  see  you  ladies  a-washin'  up,  sa 
I  '11  have  to  do  it.  Here  's  a  nice  mince-pie  I  brought  you, 
an'  it  's  red  hot,  just  feel  it."  A  mince-pie  is  something 
I  never  touch  at  home,  but  the  honest  fellow  had  tried  so 
hard  to  please  us  that  I  ate  two  pieces  with  gusto,  to  his 
great  satisfaction. 

Everything  was  soon  in  apple-pie  order,  the  fire  blazing, 
and  as  we  heartily  thanked  our  kind  neighbour,  he  said,  "  I 
don't  want  no  thanks,  but  I  just  want  you  to  notice  the 
difference  between  me  and  them  there  dudes  o'  yourn,  who 
would  n't  give  you  a  hand  to  cross  the  .summit,  I  '11  be  bound. 
I  dined  with  A to-night  and  he  says  he  'd  give  two  thou- 
sand dollars  clown  if  Pat  Galvin  'd  come  in  and  pay  him  that 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  so  's  he  could  start 
out  to-morrow  with  you  two  ladies,  for  he  ju.st  thinks  you  're 
the  nicest  things  on  earth,  and  he  's  so  afraid  you  might  get 
frozen  in  he  can't  sleep  nights.     It  's  worryin'  him  almost 

to  death.    What  are  you  writin',  Mrs.  H ?    You  're  alius 

writin',  no  matter  how  earlj'  I  comes  in  the  morning  nor  how 
late  at  night,  you  're  as  busy  as  a  cat  with  two  tails. 
What  's  them  things  ?  Anchovies  ?  '  Oh,  I  see,  said  the 
blind  man  ' ;  and  do  you  know  that  fellow  could  n't  see  at  all, 
that  lalind  man,  and  just  the  same  I  can't  see  what  's  anchov- 
ies— never  heard  o'  such  things  before  in  all  my  life.     You 


Business  Propositions  3^3 

still  too  bus}'  to  talk,  Mrs.  H ?     I  believe  it  's  jest  as 

Isaacs  sez, — you  're  haughty.     Why  should  you  have  such 

haughty  ways  about  you  ?     Now  Miss  V ,  she  's  always 

read}'  to  talk  to  a  fellow,  and  she  's  so  nice  to  me  that  it 
almost  emboldens  me  to  ask  her  to  be  my  wife.     I  say,  can't 

you  git  Miss  V to  have  me  ?     Has  she  had  many  other 

offers  durin'  this  trip  with  you  ?  Hard  to  count  ?  Bet  }-our 
life  I  kin  count  'em  if  3'ou  '11  jest  tell  me  where  you  '  ve  been. 
One  in  Colorado  Springs,"  repeated  John,  as  he  told  it  off 
on  his  thumb.  "  Two  in  Denver,"  marking  off  forefinger 
and  another;  "  two  at  Coronado,"  and  down  went  the  fingers 
of  one  hand  ;  "  one  at  Los  Angeles,"  and  the  second  hand 
was  brought  into  requisition.  "  One  at  San  Diego,  five  in 
San  Francisco."  Here  Jones  suddenly  bent  double  and  put 
his  hand  on  the  toe  of  his  boot,  calling  out,  "  Hold  on  a  l)it, 
I  ain't  got  fingers  enough  ;  they  '  ve  run  out  ;  got  to  start  in 
on  my  toes.  Well,  it  's  no  use  ;  if  she  would  n't  have  any 
o'  them  dudes,  she  ain't  got  no  use  for  John." 

A  little  later  Von  M ,    K ,   and  W arrived. 

The  former  was  in  a  high  state  of  indignation  as  he  held  out 
the  retort  belonging  to  the  animato.scope  and  showed  it  with 
two  big  holes.  "  The  most  outrageous  thing  that  ever  hap- 
pened !  Just  see  how  they  have  '  done  you.'  We  had  the 
auimatoscope  in  perfect  condition  and  were  just  ready  to 
open  the  doors  and  take  in  hundreds  of  dollars,  for  every 
one  in  town  is  wild  to  see  the  war  scenes  and  the  Corbett 
fight.  Crowds  were  asking  when  we  should  open  up.  We 
were  trying  it  for  the  last  time,  when  we  suddenly  discovered 
that  the  gas  was  leaking  frightfully,  and,  upon  examination, 
we  saw  the  rottenness  of  this  retort.  A  slight  pressure  of 
the  hand  and  you  could  put  your  thumb  right  through  it." 
The  others  were  equally  indignant  that  we  should  have  been 
allowed  to  come  this  distance  with  such  an  article,  and  said, 
"  That  's  just  it.  You  were  women,  and  they  knew  j-ou 
were  coming  to  the  Klondike,  from  which  3'ou  might  never 
return,  and  so  they  did  n't  care.  I  hope  you  will  write  them 
up  and  fully  advertise  them  for  doing  so  dishonourable  a 
thing." — "  However,  let  's  say  nothing  more  about  it  to- 


314         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

uiglit,"  said  Voii  M ;  "  for  I  'm  too  aiigrj-  at  the  thought 

that  3-ou  should  have  been  treated  in  this  waj',  and  also  at 
the  immense  loss  we  shall  suffer,  if  we  cannot  get  another 
retort." 

\V proceeded  to  divert  our  minds  by  showing  us  a 

magnificent  piece  of  quartz.  He  had  been  out  with  an  ex- 
perienced miner  who  thought  he  had  discovered  the  mother 
lode,  and  had  staked  off  the  portion  which  the  law  allowed. 
His  experience  in  getting  there  is  worthj'  of  note.  Another 
miner  had  made  the  same  discover}-;  it  was  a  race  for  life,  as 
it  were.     Both  couples  dashed  down  the  bank  to  the  river. 

The  first  there  took  W 's  canoe,  and  there  was  no  other 

to  be  had.  For  a  moment  at  a  loss,  a  brilliant  idea  occurred 
to  the  two  left  behind  ;  they  took  a  short  cut  across  town  to 
the  barracks,  entered  police  headquarters,  and  made  a  charge 
against  the  two  men  of  having  stolen  their  canoe.  Two  of 
the  mounted  police  were  immediately  detailed  to  go  to  the 
banks  of  the  Klondike,  and,  as  the  culprits  rounded  the  bank 
from  the  Yukon  and  stopped  for  a  third  member  of  the  party, 
they  were  immediately  captured,  lodged  in  jail,  and  the  boat 
turned  over  to  our  friend  and  his  miner.  They  reached  the 
promised  land,  staked  off  the  earth  containing  the  treasures, 
and  hurried  back  to  release  the  so-called  thieves,  who  took 
the  affair  as  a  huge  joke,  laughing  that  the  others  had  suc- 
ceeded where  they  had  failed.     \V promised  to  let  us 

know  where  to  stake,  as  soon  as  the  ground  should  be  sur- 
veyed, and  we  decided  to  be  prepared  for  a  long  tramp  on 
the  road  to  millions  at  a  moment's  notice.  We  had  a  little 
chat  about  friends  in  common  in  New  York.     "  One  thing 

I  found  there,"  said  W ,  "is  that  many  New  Yorkers 

are  more  English  than  we  are  ourselves.  I  went  to  spend 
an  evening  with  a  young  lady  at  her  request,  and  had  been 
getting  on  beautifully,  when  she  suddenly  told  me,  apropos 
of  nothing,  that  she  thought  we  English  only  came  to  this 
country  to  laugh  at  and  make  fun  of  Americans.  As  I  had 
never  dreamed  of  doing  such  a  thing,  she  frightened  me  so 
that  I  left  and  never  went  back  again." 


Business  Propositions  315 

Mouday,  September  5tb. 

Jones  came  earh'  in  the  morning  to  help  get  breakfast. 
"  Well,  ladies,  you  've  got  plenty  o'  wood  yet,  I  "suppose? 
What,  no  wood  !  I  suppose  some  o'  them  dudes  came  last 
night  after  I  left.  If  I  'd  'a'  known  they  wuz  a-comin', 
you  'd  'a'  got  no  wood.  When  I  left,  you  folks  wuz  a-goin'  to 
bed.  What  do  I  care  about  them  dudes?  Think  I  'm 
a-goin'  to  make  a  fire  to  warm  them  up,  nor  the  likes  of  'em  ? 
Why  did  n't  you  send  them  out  for  to  get  wood  and  not  let 
'em  be  a-usin'  of  John's  after  he  took  all  that  trouble  for  to 
get  it  for  yer  ?  "  I  had  had  a  talk  with  George,  who  had  just 
discharged  five  of  the  least  useful  of  his  labourers,  and 
had  engaged  one  of  them  to  go  back  in  the  woods  and  chop 
for  us  ;  so  in  the  midst  of  John's  harangue  he  entered,  bring- 
ing us  enough  fuel  to  last  at  least  a  week.  John  stopped 
and  gazed  in  astonishment,  looking  very  foolish.  Finally 
he  said,  "  Well,  I  never  !  And  you  've  been  hirin'  a  man  at 
seventy-five  cents  an  hour  to  do  this,  an'  John  a-sittin'  here. 
Well,  I  '11  never  talk  no  more." 

We  were  here  interrupted  by  the  contractor  for  the  lumber 
for  roof  and  floor.  Two  hundred  and  ninety-eight  dollars 
was  the  lowest  price  for  it,  although  the  hou.se  itself  was  to 
have  cost,  all  finished,  less  than  that.  It  had  to  be  done, 
however,  and  the  order  was  given.  Next  came  the  man  who 
had  made  a  verbal  promise  to  bring  all  the  heavy  logs  from 
the  river  to  the  building  site  for  eighty-five  dollars.  This 
sum  was  handed  him.  "  And  where  is  the  pay  for  my  first 
day — thirty-three  dollars  for  my  first  day's  work  ?  "  "  Your 
contract  was  for  the  entire  thing."  "  Indeed  it  wasn't; 
it  had  nothing  to  do  with  the  first  day's  work."  His  com- 
panion stoutly  agreed  with  him,  and  after  much  discussion, 
finding  that  they  were  determined  to  have  the  extra  thirty- 
three  dollars  or  have  the  law,  I  was  obliged  to  give  way  and 
be  swindled  out  of  it,  rather  than  have  further  trouble. 
Another  effect  of  "  big  tent!  " 

While  we  were  at  breakfast,  the  invalid's  partner  came  in, 
saying,  "  He  's  almost  gone,  and  he  sent  me  to  thank  you 
ladies  for  all  your  kindness."     "  What  can  we  do  for  him  ? 


3i6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

We  '  ve  been  so  busy  for  the  last  few  days  that  we  've  sarccelj' 
had  time  to  be  of  assistance."  "  Oh,  but  he  's  grateful  and 
your  air-pillow  was  such  a  comfort  to  him  and  made  his  poor 
head  so  eas}-.  There  's  nothing  can  be  done  now,  unless 
you  might  have  a  little  brandy  to  keep  him  on  a  bit  longer.' 
The  stimulant  was  given  instantly.  "  It  's  very  dear  here, 
and  I  would  n't  like  to  take  it  without  paying  for  it,  you  've 
given  him  so  much  already."  "  Don't  mention  it  ;  he  's 
more  than  welcome  to  all  that  we  have.  Shall  we  go  to 
him  ?  "      "  No,  he  's  kind  o'  flighty-like  ;  all  night  long  he 

would  n't  let  nobody  do  for  him  Init  me.     Dr.  M stayed 

all  night  and  would  n't  take  a  penny,  but  whatever  he  tried 
to  fix  for  him,  he  'd  say,  '  Let  Jerry  do  it ;  Jerry  knows  what 
I  like,'  "  and  here  the  poor  fellow  broke  down  as  he  thought 
of  his  comrade's  approaching  end. 

We  had  many  appointments  in  town,  but  could  not  bear 
the  thought  of  leaving  at  such  an  hour.  Jones  went  to  help 
all  he  could.  While  he  was  gone  a  man  entered,  saying, 
"  Good-morning,  ladies,  I  hope  you  have  n't  forgotten  me." 

As  he  bowed,  smiled,  and  extended  his  hand,  E thought 

we  might  have  met  him  "  on  the  outside,"  so  spoke  of  the 
long  trip  from  San  Francisco.     I  reflected  that  he  might 

have  been  one  of  those  introduced  by  A on  the  trail,  so 

discussed  that.  He  finalh-  began  with  the  usual  formula  : 
"  I  have  a  little  proposition  to  make  to  you,  ladies.  Hearing 
that  j'ou  were  very  wealthy,  it  seemed  to  me  3'ou  might  like 
to  go  into  a  big  thing.  You  see,  I  am  one  of  the  owners  of  a 
river  boat.  Our  captain  has  decamped  with  all  the  funds 
and  we  're  out  about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Well, 
we  've  concluded  to  give  3^ou  ladies  a  big  interest  in  our 
steamer  for  five  thousand  dollars  cash,  and  you  '11  probably 
get  it  back  several  times  over  in  freight  and  pas.sengers  be- 
fore the  end  of  the  season." — "  You  've  come  at  a  bad  time, 
for  we  've  grub-staked  so  many  men  that  we  are  wondering 
whether  we  shall  have  enough  monev  to  '  get  out.'  "  Some 
time  passed  before  our  benevolent  friend  could  realise  such 
an  incredible  story  and  take  his  departure.  "  Did  you  ever 
hear  such  gall !  "  exclaimed  W .     "  The  idea  of  a  fellow's 


Business  Propositions  317 

having  the  nerve  to  try  and  inveigle  two  women  to  put  five 
thousand  dollars  in  a  tiny  boat  like  that  just  at  the  end  of 
the  season,  when  she  's  likely  to  get  shut  in  the  ice  before 
she  can  make  another  trip.  It  's  lucky  you  have  us  to  pro- 
tect you,"  said  the  dear  boy.  "  What  would  you  do  without 
your  staff?  " 

John  rowed  us  over  to  town,  E promising  to  go  the 

following  day,  if  I  would  ouly  attend  to  the  business  once 

more.      \V and   Ivan   accompanied   me   to   the  O 

Sisters',  where  we  found  Yon  M in  despair.    "  It  simplj' 

means  a  fortune  lost,"  he  said  ;  "  not  a  soul  in  town  can 
make  a  retort  for  love  or  money.  It  was  a  despicable  act 
for  your  merchant  to  have  started  you  off  with  such  a  thing 
as  this,  and  you  really  ought  either  to  bring  a  big  suit  against 
him  or  show  him  up  so  that  no  one  will  ever  trust  him  again. 
Such   a   small  saving   to    him  means   such  enormous   loss 

to  us."     There  was  nothing  further  to  be  done,  so  W 

and  Dr.  C accompanied  me  to  the  storehouse  to  get  out 

the  acetylene  light  plant.  It  was  soon  found,  and  in  fine 
condition,  except  that  one  leg  was  off,  and  that  the  agent 
had  omitted  to  put  the  instructions  in  the  box  as  promised  ; 
but  the  calcium  carbide  with  which  to  run  it  did  not  turn  up 
after  a  search  through  over  twentj'  of  the  boxes. 

Then  came  C ,  to  look  over  our  lists  and  the  prices  we 

had  placed  upon  them.  He  begged  us  to  turn  over  the  entire 
cargo  to  him,  allow  him  to  advertise  and  exhibit  it  for  a  day 
or  more,  and  in  case  he  did  not  sell  we  should  be  at  no  ex- 
pense ;  otherwise  he  was  to  receive  ten  per  cent,  of  all  re- 
ceipts.    Mr.  D and  Mr.  R came  for  the  goods  we 

had  promised  to  let  them  have,  but  when  they  saw  that  it 
would  be  necessarj'  to  take  a  few  things  out  of  each  box  and 
then  close  them  again  they  promised  to  wait. 

Next  stopped  at  the  office  of  the  Ora,  to  arrange  about 
passage.  They  promised  to  reserve  the  only  cabin  on  board 
holding  two  bunks  ;  no  mattress,  no  bed-linen,  blankets,  or 
furniture  of  any  kind.  It  will  be  necessary  to  carry  even 
our  pillows  with  us.  Price,  one  hundred  and  twenty  dollars 
to  Lake  Bennett,  and  no  food  supplied.     Meals,  two  dollars 


3i8         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

each.  Steamer  to  sail  on  the  fourteenth.  "  Can  she  surely 
make  it  as  late  as  that,  and  not  be  shut  in  the  ice?"  I 
queried  anxiously.      "  We  think  so,"   replied  the   agent. 

"  Oh  yes  !  Mrs.  H ,"  said  a  man,  raising  his  hat.     "  I 

went  out  early  in  October  last  j'ear  and  there  was  only  a  thin 
sheet  of  ice  through  which  we  cut  our  way  without  diffi- 
cult}'." — "  But  it  is  much  colder  this  year  everyone  tells  me, 
and  the  winter  will  begin  earlier." — "  So  they  say,  but 
there  's  not  much  doubt  of  your  being  able  to  make  it. 
Don't  you  worry.  Take  all  the  blankets  you  can  carry, 
though,  and  the  warmest  of  wraps.  You  can  sell  them  all 
at  Bennett,  and  for  better  prices  than  here,  as  you  won't 
want  them  after  you  reach  civilisation  again." 

After   opening  a  box   from  which  E had   requested 

me  to  bring  some  packages,   we  went   back  to  the   usual 

rendezvous,  where  I  was  soon  joined  by  S and  D . 

I  had  previously  been  in  the  office  to  inquire  the  cost  of 
freight,  as  we  wished  to  send  our  boxes  with  personal  eifects 

out.     No  one  knew.     In  telling  S of  it,  I  said,  "  I  told 

them  it  ought  to  be  much  cheaper  going  down  the  river,  as 
you  have  so  little  to  send."  "  Very  kind  of  you  to  give 
them  suggestions  and  ideas,"  laughed  he  ;  "  it  's  not  every- 
one who  is  so  good.  I  '11  see  about  it,  but  you  know  that 
coming  in  it  was  excess  luggage;  now  it  's  freight."     I  was 

next  stopped  by  Mrs.  H and  Mrs.  K .     The  latter 

had  thrown  up  her  job  at  Circle  and  had  come  to  try  her  luck 
in  Dawson. 

At  last  my  good  boatman  Jones  appeared,  and  glad  I  was 

to  return  once  more  to  the  quiet  of  West  Dawson.     E 

had  a  nice  hot  dinner  all  ready  and  promised  to  attend  to  the 
business  the  following  day.  In  the  midst  of  dinner  the  in- 
valid's partner  arrived,  saying,  "  It  's  all  over.  Mr.  Jones 
has  been  in  and  washed  him  and  done  everything  that  could 
be  done  for  him,  an'  I  've  brought  you  back  your  pillow  an' 
your  chair,  which  he  enjoyed  so  much  ;  seems  like  they 
made  him  more  comfortable  than  anything  else,"  and  his 
lip  quivered.  We  saw  that  he  was  about  to  break  down 
completely,  so  made  him  join  us,  insisted  upon  his  taking 


Business  Propositions 


food,  and  tried  to  divert  bis  mind,  but  it  was  all  in  vain. 
"  His  wife  's  the  nicest  woman  that  ever  walked  the  face  of 
the  earth,  and  here  's  his  little  girl, — she  'sonlj- ten  years  old, 
but  there  ain't  a  finer  elocutionist  in  all  Kansas."  Here  he 
opened  a  watch  and  showed  us  the  picture  of  the  fatherless 
child.  "  I  want  3'ou  to  take  care  of  this  watch  and  chain," 
said  he,  handing  them  to  me;  "  there  ain't  no  one  I  'd  rather 
trust  than  you  two  ladies,  and  if  I  don't  go  out,  I  want  you 
to  take  these  trinkets  to  her.  It  's  goin'  to  be  a  terrible 
blow,  coz  last  time  he  wrote  he  wuz  in  ez  good  health  as  any 
of  us.  I  can't  write.  I  've  hed  many  a  partner  in  the  past 
fifteen  years  but  no  one  I  thought  so  much  of  as  him,  an'  in 
his  mind  there  warn't  no  one  like  Jerry,  an'  all  during  his 
sickness  he  was  the  most  uncomplainin'  man  3'ou  ever  did  see. 
I  've  been  over  to  try  and  get  him  a  coffin  an'  there  was  n't 
one  to  be  had  for  less  than  sevent}-  dollars,  an'  that  the  most 
ordinary,  common  wood.  At  last,  ez  I  wuz  feelin'  pretty  dis- 
couraged, I  met  a  fellow  as  wuz  on  the  trail  with  us,  an'  when 

he  heard  the  coffin  was  for  poor ,  sez  he,  '  You  can  take 

it  for  forty  dollars,  and  that  's  just  what  it  cost  me,'  an'  it 

ain't  got  no  handles  neither."     "  I  just  been  up  with  J 

for  to  find  a  place  where  to  bury  him,"  said  Jones;  "  we  had 
to  choose  the  new  cemetery  coz  his  is  the  first  grave  we  've 
ever  had  on  this  side  of  the  river."  "  Where  can  we  have 
the  service?"  said  the  bereaved  partner,  looking  around 
the  big  tent.  "  You  might  have  this  in  a  moment,  "  we  re- 
sponded in  answer  to  his  glance,  "  but,  as  you  see,  the  cabin 
is  rapidly  going  up  in  front  of  our  doorway  and  the  stove  is 
before  the  other  entrance,  so  that  there  's  no  possible  place 
of  exit  for  an  occasion  of  this  kind."  "  You  'd  better  have 
it  right  in  his  own  tent,"  said  Jones  ;  "  the  parson  can  stay 
inside  with  him,  and  we  can  all  remain  outside,"  and  thus  it 
was  arranged. 

The  poor  fellow  then  talked  of  sitting  up  all  night  with 
the  remains  of  his  friend,  but  he  was  in  no  condition  to  do  .so, 
and  good  Jones  promised  to  do  it  himself  or  to  secure  some- 
one else.  His  grief  was  great,  and  we  tried  to  console  him 
with  the  thought  of  the  devotion  he  had  shown  in  tender 


320         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

care  and  nursing.  "  Yes,"  said  he.  "I  've  done  every- 
thing. I  stopped  work  and  run  myself  in  debt  to  get  him 
what  he  needed,  and  only  last  week,  when  someone  offered 
me  seven  thousand  dollars  to  go  out  and  stake  a  claim  on 
Dominion,  I  wuz  a-goin'  coz  you  ladies  said  you  would  take 
care  o'  him,  but  my  heart  failed  me  at  the  last  moment,  and 
I  sez,  '  No,  I  '11  lose  the  seven  thousand  dollars  rather  than 
desert  him,'  an'  I  with  only  ten  dollars  left  an'  no  grub.  I 
wuz  feelin'  pretty  down  about  it,  but  I  never  let  on  to  him, 
and  I  thank  the  Lord  now  for  it.  He  only  had  a  little  while 
when  he  could  talk  to  me  before  he  went,  but  he  sez,  '  I  ain't 
a-goin'  to  tell  j'ou  what  to  do,  coz  I  know  you  '11  do  what  's 
right,"  and  here  the  poor  fellow  gave  way  again.  "  I  want 
to  thank  you,  Mr.  Jones,  for  washin'  him  an'  bein'  so  good 
to  him,  an'  if  you  'd  only  cut  a  little  lock  of  his  hair  for  his 
wife.  I  can't  do  it.  She  expectin'  him  back  hale  and  hearty 
as  when  he  went  awaj-,  and  waiting  for  a  letter,  an'  he  under 
the  ground  when  she  gets  it." 

Here  Von  M ,  D ,  and  J came  in  from  a  miners' 

meeting  ;  a  committee  had  been  appointed  to  cut  away  all 
brush  and  dead  wood  within  two  feet  of  the  spring,  and  the 
miners  had  decided  to  carry  out  the  law  themselves  and 
wreak  summary  vengeance  on  the  first  one  caught  sull3'ing 

its  waters  in  any  way.     Von  M was  the  last  to  leave, 

discouraged  and  disheartened  that  so  small  a  thing  as  a 
"  rotten  retort  should  cause  shipwreck  to  what  would  other- 
wise have  been  known  in  Dawson  as  '  the  best  show  on 
earth.'  " 

Tuesday,  September  6tb. 

George  and  his  assistants  came  at  seven,  but  were  greatly 
hampered  as  there  were  no  twenty  and  forty  nails  to  be  had 
in  Dawson  ;  the  men  who  had  spent  yesterday  going  to 
Klondike  City  for  our  roofing  and  flooring  had  returned 
without  it  and  had  another  trip  to  make.  Jones  said  there 
was  half  a  keg  of  nails  in  "  Louse-town  "  ("  excuse  me," 
he  said,  catching  my  glance,  "  I  mean  the  town  with  the 

beautiful  name  ").     After  breakfast  he  took  E ,  with  her 

long  list  of  counnissions,  across  the  river,  and  the  duty  (which 


Business  Propositions  321 

I  detest)  of  washing  dishes  and  "  cleaning-iip  "  devolved 
upon  nie.  But  even  at  seventy-five  cents  an  hour  there  was 
110  one  to  be  had,  as  all  were  engaged  on  the  house.  A  yel- 
low cur,  that  now  comes  daily  in  search  of  food,  has  taken 
the  habit  of  rolling  up  in  our  best  blankets  with  his  muddy 
feet.  And  no  amount  of  shouting  and  chasing  will  drive  him 
out ;  he  has  to  be  actually  beaten  before  he  will  move  ;  so  on 
seeing  him  stealthily  making  himself  comfortable  for  the 
thousandth  time,  I  caught  up  the  largest  stick  to  be  found 
and  rushed  towards  him,  onlj'  to  slip  on  the  wet  ground  and 
find  myself  seated  in  slime  and  muck.  Could  "Jinks  "  have 
been  reached  then,  his  punishment  would  have  been  severe  ; 
as  it  was,  he  had  made  tracks  before  the  stick  neared  him, 
evidently  havingfully  realised  the  situation.  George  entered 
with  a  man  to  be  paid  off.  "  Whj'  are  you  being  discharged?  " 
said  I.  "  He  's  not  feeling  well,  and  the  doctor  says  if  he 
•don't  la}-  off  at  once  he  may  follow  the  poor  boy  who  's  just 
died."  So  our  man  got  his  money  and  many  instructions  as 
to  the  care  he  must  take  of  himself. 

One  o'clock  came,  and  I  went  to  see  if  anything  could  be 
done  for  the  departed  neighbour  before  he  should  be  laid 
awas".  Not  a  flower  of  any  kind  to  be  had.  A  little  before 
two  the  clergyman  arrived,  but  was  told  that  the  men  had 
dug  twice  and,  although  high  upon  the  hillside,  had  been 
unable  to  get  below  four  feet,  as  they  strike  ice.  He  went  to 
see  about  it.     Then  the  friends  began  to  assemble.     ' '  I  liked 

to  'a'  dropped  dead  when  they  told  me  C had  '  gone,'  " 

said  D .      "  I  did  n't  even  know  he  was  sick.     Why,  he 

mighter  cqme  over  to  my  cabin  and  stayed."  "  Oh,  he 
liked  this  side  best,"  said  his  partner.  "  He  did  n't  want 
ter  live  in  Dawson,  and  so  I  did  n't  want  ter  bury  him  there." 
"  That 's  right  ;  where  a  man  chooses  his  place,  that 's  where 

he  'd  oughter  be  buried,"  said  D .     "  Whose  is  this  big 

house  going  up  ?  "  he  inquired,  turning  to  me.  "  What 's  it 
for?  "— "  Residence." — "  Costs  a  good  lot  o'  money  to  put 
up  a  house  like  that.  About  the  same  as  a  brick  and  brown- 
stone  to  home.  Whose  tent  is  that  ?  What  do  you  use  it 
for  ?     Well,  it  's  a  mighty  fine,  well-made  one,  an'  I  know 


2,22         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

something  about  them  ;  been  in  that  business  myself.  Goiii' 
to  stay  '  in  '  this  winter  ?  Oh,  it  ain't  so  cold  here  ;  't  ain't 
half  so  bad  as  Dakota  and  Iowa.  No  wind,  and  so  j'ou  don't 
feel  the  cold.  Why,  my  wife  goes  out  sometimes  in  winter 
with  only  a  little  fascinator  on.  She  gained  twenty-five  or 
fifty  pounds,  but  she  lost  it  again  this  sunmier.  Well,  sir, 
when  I  came  in  here  last  5'ear  there  was  n't  a  tent  on  this 
side,  and  not  many  in  Dawson,  and  now  just  look  at  it  ; 
hardly  an  inch  of  ground  to  spare.  You  see  them  hills 
opposite  ?  Well,  the  sun  never  gets  over  them  in  winter,  so 
we  never  have  more  'n  four  hours  daylight.  You  ladies 
goin'  out  over  the  trail  ?  Well  you  '11  find  snow  on  the 
summit,  because  it  's  snowing  now  on  El  Dorado  and 
Bonanza  hills." 

Just  then  the  clergyman  returned,  saying  it  would  take 
another  hour  to  dig  the  grave.  "  I  wonder  who  we  can 
get  to  put  him  in  his  cof&n,"  said  his  partner,  the  tears 
rolling    down    his    cheeks.       "  We    '11    help    you,"    said 

D .     "John  and  I  '11  do  it."     The  hour  passed,  and  a 

dozen  of  us  stood  in  solemn  silence  before  the  door  of  the 
cabin  in  which  the  remains  had  been  laid.  A  sled  was 
brought  out  and  on  it  was  placed  the  coffin  neatly  covered 
with  black  cloth.  Two  ladies  offered  wild  flowers  which 
they  had  gathered  on  the  hills,  miles  from  Dawson.  The 
grave-diggers  returned  and  joined  the  throng  of  mourners, 
as  did  my  dozen  workmen,  whom  I  had  told  to  stop  work  for 
the  service.  As  we  gathered  around  the  box  and  sang, 
Jesus,  lover  of  my  soul,  our  voices  faltered  as  we  thought 
of  the  poor  fellow  who  had  left  home,  wife,  and  child,  buoyed 
up  with  the  hope  of  returning  to  provide  them  with  comfort 
and  luxury  ;  of  his  weary  tramp  over  the  trail  ;  of  trials, 
vexations,  and  disappointments  as  illness  came  on,  and  funds 
became  low,  until  the  last  days  when  he  called  for  his  loved 
ones  who  were  far  away.  The  service  was  most  impressive, 
the  silence  broken  by  the  sobs  of  the  bereaved  partner,  and 
all  eyes  were  filled  with  tears  of  sympathy.  The  ceremony 
ended  b}'  the  broken  voices  taking  up  the  strain.  Shall  we 
meet  beyo>id  the  River.     Heads  were  bowed  for  a  blessing. 


Business  Propositions 


323 


and  then  the  pall-bearers  took  up  their  precious  burden  and 
carried  it  to  its  last  resting-place  in  the  lonely  grave  on  the 
hillside. 

A  short  visit  from  J ,   and  then  E returned  and 

was  greatly  surprised  to  find  that  I,  the  lazy  one,  had  washed 
all  the  dishes  and  laid  the  table  for  dinner  with  clean  table- 
cloths (newspapers).     Her  trusty  boatman,  Jones,  followed 


THE    LOCK    OF    HAIR    FOR    THE    WIDOW. 


with  a  box  of  groceries,  which  he  almost  dropped  as  he 
caught  sight  of  the  table,  saying,  "  Well,  well,  well  !  who 
ever  would  'a'  thought  them  little  fins  o'  hern  could  'a' 
done  all  that.      I  bet  she  did  n't  like  it  a  bit,  now,  did  yer, 

little  one, — honour  bright  ?  " — "  No  ;  and  Miss  V is  the 

only  one  for  whom  I  would  have  done  it  ;  but  I  could  n't 
bear  to  think  of  her  returning  after  a  tiresome  day  and  find- 
ing things  in  confusion.     But  before  I  forget  it  let  me  ask, 


324         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Did  you  cut  a  lock  of  that  poor  fellow's  hair  before  you  left  ? 
for  his  partner  is  waiting  to  send  it  in  a  letter  to  his  wife." 
Jones  dropped.  "  Well,  now,  if  that  ain't  awful  !  I  clean 
forgot  !  Just  to  think  o'  the  likes  o'  that  !  Oh  !  I  know  "  ; 
and  before  we  could  divine  what  he  intended  to  do  he  had 
seized  the  scissors  and  cut  off  one  of  his  own  curly  locks. 
"  She  '11  never  know  the  difference,"  said  he  ;  "  me  and  him 
had  hair  about  the  same  colour,  and  if  it  ain't  just  the  same, 
she  '11  think  it  changed  up  here,  or  after  death."  Horri- 
fied, E and  I  protested,  but  in  vain.  Jones  was  some- 
times obstinate,  and  this  was  one  of  the  occasions.  The 
partner  came  in  and  received  the  precious  treasure,  while 
our  lips  were  sealed.  "  What  must  I  pay  the  grave- 
diggers  ?  "  said  he.  "  Oh,  not  much,"  Jones  replied  ;  "  an' 
as  for  me,  many  's  the  corpse  I  've  washed  and  dressed,  an' 
never  asked  nothin'  for  such  services  yet,  an'  don't  intend  to 
begin  now."  "  Wa'al,  then,  I  '11  tell  you  where  to  go  and 
get  the  best  claim  in  this  country,  bein'  as  how  you  're  so 
kind,  an'  as  for  the  other  men,  I  'm  willing  to  pay  as  long 
as  ever  there  's  a  cent  left." 

After  dinner  E related  her  experiences  of  the  day. 

M R had  selected  over  a  hundred  dollars'  worth  of 

goods  from  our  boxes  of  groceries,  D had  done  the  same, 

also  G ,   giving   her  checks  which  covered   the  entire 

amount  we  had  paid  for  said  articles  in  San  Francisco,  and 
leaving  us  still  two-thirds  of  the  slock.     "  What  a  pity  we 

never  thought  to  bring  in  brooms,"  said  E .      "They 

are  selling  at  seventeen  dollars  apiece  in  Dawson,  the  com- 
monest kind,  and  very  few  to  be  had."  She  had  disposed 
of  a  tin  of  evaporated  tomatoes  for  seventeen  dollars,  when 

D saw  it  and  said,  "  You  must  let  me  have  that.     I  've 

sent  orders  for  them  all  over  the  country  and  never  have  had 
one  filled  since  coming  here.  It  makes  my  mouth  water  just 
to  think  of  them.      I  '11  take  it  right  now  and  carry  it  home." 

"  Can't   do  it,"    replied  E ;  "  it  's  sold."      "  Does  n't 

matter.  You  can  say  it  was  stolen,"  and  off  he  walked  with 
it,  before  her  very  eyes,  calling  back,  "  This  stuff  is  too  de- 
licious to  give  up.      I  've   been  longing  for  it  for  ages." 


Business  Propositions  325 

Listen  to  his  punishment  !  That  very  evening,  as  he  pre- 
pared his  first  dish,  he  found  the  tomatoes  full  of  tiny  white 
worms,  and  rushed  into  the  "  big  tent,"  exclaiming,  "  Well, 
if  you  ought  n't  to  give  Goldberg  and  Bowen  a  piece  of  your 
mind  !  To  think  that  you  should  be  '  done '  even  by  a  firm 
like  that."  [Let  me  state  here,  however,  that  on  our  return 
to  San  Francisco,  this  same  firm  returned,  not  only  the 
price  we  had  paid  for  the  tomatoes,  but  also  the  freight 
to  Dawson.] 

Wednesday,  September  yth. 
Hardly  were  we  dressed  when  two  men  arrived,  announc- 
ing themselves  as  grocers  from  Dawson  who  were  just  about 
to  start  in  business.  They  wanted  to  purchase  our  entire 
stock  of  winter's  supplies  in  that  line,  but  finally  asked  if  we 
would  be  willing  to  accept  one  hundred  dollars  down,  and 
let  them  sell  the  remainder  for  ten  per  cent,  commission. 

E promised  to  give  them  an  answer  after  a  day  in  town. 

Examining  our  lists  carefully  they  offered  cash  for  the  entire 
lot  of  stationery.  Next  came  the  dead  man's  partner,  saying 
that  one  of  his  friends  was  going  home,  and  had  offered  to 
take  the  watch  to  the  widow,  whose  address  he  gave,  beg- 
ging me  to  add  my  letter  to  his.     Jones  soon  came  to  row 

E across  to  town,  leaving  me  to  housework  and  journal, 

from  which  I  have  only  been  interrupted  by  visits  from  Dr. 

C and   Von   M ,    who   had    expected    to   show   the 

animatoscope  to-morrow.  A  new  retort  having  been  made 
at  an  enormous  cost,  they  found  a  flaw  in  it,  which  necessi- 
tated the  making  of  still  another.  How  we  all  groaned  over 
the  cruelty  of  the  man  who  had  sent  us  the  outfit  in  such  a 
condition!  And  now  the  house  is  ready  for  the  roof,  but  the 
lumber  for  which  we  contracted  has  not  yet  materialised, 
although  this  is  the  third  day  our  men  have  been  told  that 
it  was  read}'  and  have  gone  in  search  of  it  only  to  be  disap- 
pointed. A  tremendous  gale  is  blowing,  shaking  the  tent  to 
such  a  degree  that  its  collapse  or  inflation  seems  imminent. 
The  builders  have  come  to  tighten  all  the  ropes.  We  are 
grateful  for  the  sunshine  and  a  temperature  of  seventy  de- 


o 


26         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


grees,  which  allows  the  fire  to  be  extinguished,  as  the  stove- 
pipe was  long  ago  blown  off. 

Neighbour  E paid  us  quite  a  visit,  fearing  we  might 

be  alarmed  at  the  gale,  and  read}-  to  be  of  any  assistance. 
His  partner  is  attending  to  their  claims  on  the  American  side, 
and  their  hopes  are  high  in  regard  to  the  future,  but  that  is 
no  exception  to  the  general  rule  of  "  boys  "  in  this  part  of 
the  world.  It  was  nearly  seven  when  E returned.  Colo- 
nel O bringing  her  packages  for  her.     She  was  radiant. 

' '  Oh,  mj'  dear,  I '  ve  had  a  splendid  day ;  sold  over  a  thousand 

dollars'  worth,  so  that  M complimented  me  highly,  and 

begged  me  to  go  into  partnership  with  him,  he  to  supply  the 
money,  I  to  do  the  '  talkee-talkee.'  I  told  him  that  I  cer- 
tainly had  missed  my  vocation." 

After  dinner  Von   M and  Jones  spent  the  evening. 

"  How  about  the  retort  ?  "  we  asked.  "  Oh,  I  'd  give  that 
man  of  yours  the  '  retort  courteous  '  if  ever  I  were  to  see 
him  in  California,"  said  he  ;  "I  'm  having  another  one 
made  with  silver  solder  and  the  expen.se  is  going  to  be  some- 
thing enormous.  If  you  don't  do  something  to  that  man 
you  deserve  to  be  cheated  in  the  same  way  for  the  remainder 
of  your  life.  Just  think  of  the  daily  loss  ;  for  everyone  I 
meet  asks  when  the  show  is  coming  off,  and  they  're  all  wild 
to  see  the  naval  heroes,  warships,  etc."  Indignation  and 
sorrow  ran  riot,  but  there  was  nothing  to  be  done  except 
possess  our  souls  in  patience,  and  remember,  too  late,  Judge 

B 's  advice  to  us  to  see  each  box  packed  and  put  on 

board  the  steamer. 


CHAPTER   XXV 


A   NEW   EXPERIENCE 

Thursday,  September  Sth. 

THANK  the  Lord  for  a  warm  da3'  and  sunshine.  It  takes 
a  little  from  the  dampness  which  strikes  a  chill  to  the 
marrow.  Jones  took  E to  town  with  Ivan,  while  I  re- 
mained to  fill  a  trunk  with  all  the  finery  I  had  brought,  ex- 
pecting to  dress  dail_v  for  dinner  ;  but  life  in  the  tent  makes 
such  garb  an  impossibility,  and  silken  hose  are  not  exactly 
appropriate  in  rubber  boots  or  muck-a-lucks,  which  we  now 
take  off  only  at  bed-time.  Nothing  but  heavy  flannel,  such 
as  one  rarelj'  wears  at  home,  is  comfortable.  A  skirt  is  de- 
cidedly in  the  way  in  gathering  wood  for  the  stove,  washing 

dishes,  cooking,  etc.     E has  tried  it  on  several  occasious 

and  has  succeeded  in  burning  three  of  them,  consequently 
we  put  them  on  now  only  when  we  are  on  our  way  to  town. 
So,  as  our  merchants  told  us  that  they  had  many  calls  for 
finer}-  and  that  it  would  pa}'  us  much  better  to  leave  all  such 
articles  here  to  be  sold  by  them,  asking  ten  per  cent,  com- 
mission, we  gladly  decided  to  rid  ourselves  of  all  that  we 
do  not  need,  and  thus  save  fifteen  cents  a  pound  freight. 
Not  until  6  P.M.  was  the  list  finished,  the  articles  marked 
and  packed,  and  the  little  eight-dollar  steamer-trunk  labelled 
twenty-five  dollars. 

About  two  o'clock,  as  I  saw  how  nuich  there  remained  to 
be  done,  and  looked  at  the  kitchen  with  its  unclean  pots, 
pans,  and  kettles,  I  called  George  and  asked  him  to  find  me 
a  man  to  wash  dishes  and  put  the  place  in  fine  order.     The 

327 


o 


28         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


assistant  soon  appeared  and  worked  steadih'  for  three  hours 
at  seventy-five  cents  an  hour,  and  what  a  transformation  I 
beheld  !  Everything  shone  as  cooking  utensils  do  at  home, 
new  table-cloths  (newspapers)  were  on  all  the  tables,  etc.  I 
complimented  him,  adding,  "  Your  three  hours  will  expire 
in  five  minutes,  but  come  to-morrow  and  there  will  still  be 
work  for  3'ou."  "  Oh,  I  don't  mind  working  overtime,"  he 
replied;  "  it  'most  kills  me  to  loaf,  I  get  so  lonesome."  He 
continued  to  talk,  telling  me  of  a  claim  he  had  staked  on 
Bonanza,  which  he  went  to  the  office  to  record.  After  hav- 
ing waited  in  line  for  ages,  he  finally  reached  the  desk,  but 
to  his  great  disappointment  was  told  to  return  in  two  or 
three  days,  as  there  was  some  surveying  to  be  done.  He 
waited  according  to  instructions,  wasted  more  time  in  trying 
to  gain  entrance  to  the  Recorder's  office  only  to  be  told 
that  the  claim  had  already'  been  recorded  bj-  someone  else. 
"  They  say  he  put  one  o'  his  friends  on  it,"  said  the  poor 
fellow,  "  an'  after  me  a-trampin'  way  over  there  to  get  it  ;  so 
now  I  've  got  to  work  for  grub  and  run  the  same  risk  again 
when  I  earn  enough  to  go  out  on  the  trail.  'T  ain't  like 
that  on  the  American  side." 

At  last  E returned,  saying,  "  I  have  some  bad  news 

for  you  ;  some  of  our  things  are  missing,  and  the  man  who 
took  all  the  stationery  for  two  hundred  and  thirty-five  dol- 
lars and  paid  me  in  gold  dust,  must  have  it  back,  as  we 
have  n't  the  things  to  deliver.  Between  the  cheating  of  the 
people  from  whom  we  bought  goods,  the  spoiling  and  de- 
tention of  our  boxes  by  the  steamship  companies,  and  the 
non-responsibility  of  the  warehouse  owners,  it  is  enough  to 
drive  one  crazy.  I  asked  the  latter  about  missing  boxes  and 
he  said  he  could  n't  tell,  as  several  had  called  for  them.  '  But 
you  have  no  right  to  deliver  without  an  order  from  Mrs. 

H or  from  me,'   I  contended.     '  Well,  they  came  and 

took  them  and  said  they  had  your  order,  so  how  could  I 
help  it  ? '  The  purchasers  might  have  held  us  responsible 
for  the  missing  articles,  but  they  were  awfully  nice  about  it. 
They  asked  me  to  go  with  them  to  their  new  store  and  check 
off  as  they  took  the  things  out  of  the  boxes,  and  see  for  my- 


MISS   VAN    BUREN    IN    TRAVELLING   COSTUME. 


330         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

self  just  how  the}^  looked  and  what  was  missing;  so  round  I 
went,  sat  in  the  rear  of  the  shop  with  nn-  back  to  the  door, 
and  checked  off  as  fast  as  I  could  write.  They  were  so  de- 
lighted with  the  groceries  that  they  wanted  them  all,  and  as 
they  placed  them  on  the  shelves,  the  people,  seeing  luxuries 
such  as  have  never  before  been  brought  here,  commenced 
crowding  in  and  wanting  to  buy,  and  I  know  they  think  the 
store  belongs  to  you  and  me,  as  the  boxes  were  marked  with 
our  names.  A  dear  old  lady  said  to  me,  '  Have  you  any 
sewing-silk  ?  '  so  I  just  said  in  my  sweetest  tones,  '  Oh  !  I  'm 
awfully  sorry,  but  we  haven't  opened  the  box  containing 
it  yet.  Could  n't  you  wait  till  to-morrow  ? '  and  she 
said,  '  Certainly,  dear.'  As  she  went  out,  our  grocer  said 
to  me,  '  You  'd  make  a  fortune  for  yourselves  and  for  us  if 
yon  'd  only  go  into  partnership  with  us  ;  we  could  n't  have 
made  that  old  lady  wait — she  'd  have  gone  somewhere  else.' 
"  Those  jars  of  orange  marmalade  that  we  bought  at 
Goldberg's,  three  for  sixty-seven  cents,  I  had  put  aside  to 
bring  home,  as  we  have  none  and  that  is  all  there  is  in  town ; 
well,  a  man  came  in  and  saw  them  and  exclaimed,  '  Orange 
marmalade  !  how  fine  !  how  much  is  it  ? '  I  said  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents,  and  would  you  believe  it,  he  took  it  instantlv  ! 
Oh,  it  's  such  a  lark  !  I  never  had  so  much  fun  in  all  my 
life  ;  how  I  do  wish  that  we  could  open  a  shop  of  our  own. 
Won't  j-ou  ?  I  '11  do  it  in  a  minute  if  you  will,  and  we  '11 
not  only  make  our  everlasting  fortunes,  but  we  '11  have  great 
fun  besides  !  "  "  You  'd  just  oughter  'a'  seen  her,"  said 
Jones,  gazing  at  her  admiringh*  ;  "  I  '11  be  durned  if  every- 
one in  town  did  n't  want  to  come  and  buy  of  her  just  for  the 
honour  of  .speaking  to  her.  Why,  she  'd  sell  everything 
j-ou  've  brought  up  here  inside  of  a  week,  an'  me  a-sittin' 
there  and  a-lookin'  at  her,  like  to  bust  at  the  way  she  did 
give  it  to  them  folks,  a-talkin'  so  nice  like  they  'd  never  been 
talked  to  before,  an'  the  likes  o'  that.  I  tell  yoM,  you  ain't 
in  it  no  more  !  If  I  did  n't  feel  proud,  you  kin  never  believe 
me  again.  HuUoa  !  who  's  washed  all  them  dishes,  and 
shined  up  the  pots  and  kettles  so,  and  changed  all  the  news- 
papers and  done  evervthing  so  fine  ?     Why,  you  do  know  how 


A  New  Experience  33 1 

to  do  something,  after  all,  and  nie  a-lhinkin'  j-ou  did  n't. 
Well,  if  you  ain't  the  two  smartest  women  I  ever  seen,  an' 
me  a-thinkin'  city  folks  did  n't  know  nawthin',  an'  the  likes 
o'  that.  I  never  would  have  believed  them  little  fins  o' 
yourn  could  'a'  done  so  much  work.  I  was  only  proud  of 
Miss  V ,  but  now  I  'm  proud  o'  you  both." 

"  I  can't  sail  under  false  colours,  John,  my  boy.  That 
sort  of  work  disgusts  me  beyond  measure,  and  as  long  as  I 
have  a  sou  to  my  name,  someone  else  does  it  for  me."  John 
cast  a  contemptuous  look  at  me,  and  said,  "  Well,  I  suppose 
you  're  good  for  writin',  but  I  never  d/d  see  no  good  in  the 
likes  o'  that.  But  I  tell  you  s/ie  fascinates  'em  when  she  be- 
gins to  talk,  an'  everyone  wants  to  give  her  an  order." 

"  You  should  have  seen  how  everyone  admired  Ivan,"  said 

E .      "  He  is  really  the  best-trained  dog   I  have  ever 

known  —  was  not  a  bit  of  trouble, —  followed  me  every- 
where, and  I  should  not  have  known  he  was  there,  so  un- 
obtrusive was  he."     "  Well,  her// with  me,"  chimed  in  Jones. 

"  Miss  V she  woiddii'/,  and  so  I  said,  '  Ivan,  you  want 

to  go  to  the  restaurant  ?  '  an'  he  never  so  much  as  looked  at 
Miss  V to  sa}'  by  your  leave.  He  knowed  that  restau- 
rant and  how  everybody  stuffs  and  feeds  him  there,  and  he 
just  made  one  dash  for  it,  an'  you  never  seen  the  likes  o'  it 
in  all  your  life." 

Von  M spent  the  evening.     He  was  in  good  spirits, 

and  so  sure  of  the  great  coming  success  of  the  animatoscope 
that  on  the  strength  of  the  first  week's  expected  receipts  he 
begged  us  to  save  him  at  least  one  hundred  dollars'  worth  of 

groceries. 

Friday,  September  gth. 

Seven  o'clock  and  all  the  workmen  on  hand  still  waiting 
for  the  lumber  which  was  promised  so  many  days  ago.  With 
that  in  our  possession  the  roof  and  floor  could  be  finished  in 
one  day,  and  we  ready  to  move  in  the  morrow,  and  how  we 
long  to  leave  this  wet  ground  and  get  out  of  our  rubber  boots. 
Patience!  patience!  patience!  as  the  clergyman  said  the  last 
time  he  preached  under  this  canvas.  It  is  more  required  in 
this  country  than  any  other  quality.     Jones  came  at  9.30  to 


33-         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

take  E to  Dawson,  as  she  is  such  a  wonderfully  clever 

business  woman  and  enjoj-s  it  so  greatlj-  that  it  seems  better 
for  both  that  affairs  should  remain  in  her  hands.  My  assist- 
ant of  yesterday  returned,  and  was  sent  off  to  chop  wood, 
which  makes  that  fuel  more  expensive,  although  taken  from 
the  trees  back  of  the  house,  than  at  home.  When  we  first 
arrived,  we  could  easily  have  cut  a  sufficient  number  of  trees 
close  at  hand  to  have  built  a  cabin  in  a  short  space  of  time. 
During  this  one  month,  one-roomed  cabins  have  been  going 
up  about  us  so  rapidly,  in  order  that  the  "boys"  may 
get  out  of  their  tents  before  frost,  that  it  is  now  necessary  to 
tramp  at  least  a  mile  and  a  half  for  fuel. 

At  4  P.M.  as  I  was  still  going  over  accounts.  Von  M 

appeared  in  utter  despair.  "  The  man  who  sold  you  that 
animatoscope  outfit  ought  really  to  be  killed,"  said  he. 
"  After  great  expense  and  endless  trials  we  have  succeeded 
in  getting  a  retort  made  that  will  do.  Then  I  filled  the  bags 
w^ith  gas,  but  in  one  hour  it  had  all  gone,  and  I  found,  not 
only  that  the  bags  were  leaking,  but  also  that  they  had 
already  been  mended  in  several  places,  and  if  we  use  them 
we  are  liable  to  have  an  explosion.  I  can't  imagine  a  man 
low  enough  to  send  two  women  this  distance  with  such  a 
rotten  lot  of  stuff.  Merchants  seem  to  think  that  when  they 
outfit  you  for  the  Klondike  they  can  put  upon  you  all  the 
stuff  that  no  one  else  will  take  and  that  they  never  will  hear 
from  j'ou  again.  I  hope  j'ou  won't  lose  patience,  for  I  'm 
working  at  the  thing  night  and  day,  hoping  my  best  to  bring 
it  out.  A  lot  of  my  friends  who  were  wild  to  see  it  and  also 
to  chaff  me  for  running  a  show  have  all  gone  '  out.'  That 
alone  means  hundreds  of  dollars,  and  the  amount  we  are 
losing  daily  from  men  who  would  gladly  pay  a  dollar  or 
more  to  see  the  Corbett  fight,  is  incalculable.  I  'm  doing 
my  very  best,  but  as  soon  as  we  get  one  part  straight  an- 
other gives  out."  "  Patience  !  ^-ou  are  the  one  who  is  show- 
ing that  quality  beyond  all  others,"  said  I  ;  "  for  you  are 
devoting  your  entire  time  and  attention  to  it,  simply  in  the 
hope  of  what  may  come." —  "  Oh,  that  's  all  right.  When 
I  undertake  a  thing  I  'm  determined  to  make  a  success  of 


A  New  Experience  333 

it,  but  we  've  been  labouring  under  great  disadvantages  up 
to  the  present.  I  '  ve  searched  the  town,  but  of  course  there  's 
no  such  thing  as  a  gas-bag  to  be  had.  There  's  an  old  tank 
which  a  man  is  not  using,  on  which  we  might  put  a  gauge, 
but  he  asks  fifty  or  a  hundred  dollars  for  it,  because  it  's  the 
only  one  in  town,  and  the  moment  he  finds  that  it  is  indis- 
pen.sable  for  our  show  there  is  no  knowing  to  what  price  it 
might  go.  However,  I  '11  get  some  luncheon  and  go  back 
to  town  and  see  what  can  be  done."  So  off  the  poor  fellow 
went  to  continue  his  hard  work  against  obstacles  which 
should  never  have  arisen. 

At  6.30  E returned,  the  faithful  Jones  carrying  meat 

and  provisions.  "  How  's  the  house  gettin'  on  ?  "  said  John. 
"  You  don't  know  !  Been  a-writin'  all  day  as  usual,  I  sup- 
pose, but  by  Jove,  everything  does  look  nice  and  clean,  and 
no  mistake,  though  of  course  j-ou  did  n't  do  it  yourself." 
We  went  out  to  see  George,  who  pointed  out  with  great  pride 
the  .solidity  and  substantial  character  of  his  work.  "  It  's 
all  arranged  so  's  you  can  put  another  story  on  next  year, 
if  \ou  want  to,  and  here  are  some  poles  for  the  awning  over 
your  balcony."  From  the  doorway  a  most  glorious  view 
was  obtained  of  Dawson,  the  hills,  and  the  full  sweep  of  the 
Yukon  River — a  view  from  a  second  story  would  mean 
something  not  to  be  surpassed  in  Switzerland.  The  re- 
semblance to  Lucerne  is  great.     K ,  Von  M ,   and 

Jones  spent  the  evening.  The  latter  found  that  the  re- 
flections cast  upon  the  tent  by  the  lantern  were  so  large  that 
it  made  our  shadows  appear  in  gigantic  proportions,  so  lie 
posed  in  the  most  absurdly  grotesque  ways,  in  order  that 
any  neighbours  who  happened  to  be  looking  on  might  have 
a  free  magic-lantern  show. 

E was  filled  with  enthusiasm  over  her  business  trans- 
actions of  the  day.  "  Do  you  remember  that  dollar  and  a 
half  mirror  for  which  j-ou  were  offered  ten  ?  Well,  to-day 
a  man  said  he  must  have  it  and  that  he  would  give  a  dollar 
more,  but  I  said  there  was  none  in  our  cabin  on  board  the 
steamer,  and  that  we  must  take  it  '  out '  with  us."  "  Oh, 
well,"  said  I,  "to  have  the  satisfaction  of  making  such  an 


334         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

enormous  percentage,  let 's  sell  it  and  use  those  in  our  toilet- 
bags."     "  All  right,   we  '11  offer  it   for  twelve  to-morrow. 

One  thing  is  most  annoying,"  continued  E ;  "when  I 

looked  in  the  chemist's  box  to  get  out  your  '  grippe  cure,* 
there  was  not  one  there,  and  more  than  a  hundred  different 
articles  on  the  list  were  missing.  We  had  a  most  thorough 
search,  but  there  was  not  a  sign  of  them,  so  we  lost  the  sale 
to  the  chemist,  who  offered  three  times  what  we  had  paid." 
— "Could  the  box  have  been  opened  on  the  steamer?" — 
"  Hardly;  it  was  so  well  packed  and  so  tightly  nailed  up 
that  it  seemed  as  though  just  from  the  shop. 

"  What  do  you  think  a  man  told  me  to-day  ?  He  made 
me  swear  not  to  give  his  name,  but  said  that  he  had  heard 
that  the  customs  officials,  thinking  we  were  ver^-  wealthy, 
had  '  salted  '  us  well  in  payment  of  duties  in  order  to  make 
up  for  those  who  had  come  through  with  '  permits.'  They 
also  said  that  we  had  brought  some  things  in  without  declar- 
ing them  and  that  they  were  coming  over  to  search  the  tent 
and  seize  them.  That  's  what  one  gets  for  being  honest. 
"  We  gave  them  our  exact  bills,  just  as  they  were  sent  to, 
and  paid  for  by,  us;  even  second-hand  articles  we  paid  for, 
although  we  have  been  chaffed  by  many  for  not  having  bills 
'  cooked  '  and  sending  in  duplicates  as  they  did."  "  Oh, 
you  can't  blame  them,"  said  a  listener.  "  They  're  not  here 
for  their  health  ;  they  're  in  a  hurry  to  make  a  fortune  and 
'  get  out,'  and  the  more  thej'  hear  of  the  wealth  of  j-ou  two 
ladies,  the  more  they  kick  themselves  for  not  having  asked 
you  a  hundred  per  cent."     "  I  must  go  over  to  Dawson 

again  to-night,"  said  Von  M ,  "  and  find  L .     I  've 

inquired  everywhere  for  him  without  success,  and  finally 
pasted  up  notices  in  the  prominent  places,  hoping  to  attract 
his  attention  and  have  him  look  me  up." 

Saturday,  September  loth. 
Up  at  6.30,  and  thankful  for  mercury  at  fifty  degrees  in- 
stead of  fort}'.     At  9.30,  as  the  trust}-  Jones  had  not  made 
his  appearance,   we  sent  George  for  him,   who  found  him 
soundly  sleeping  ;    half  an    hour  later  he  rowed  E to 


A  New  Experience  335 

town.  Was  busily  writing,  when  George  interrupted  nie. 
"  Excuse  me,  but  there  's  another  man  to  be  paid  off,  name 

C ,  lour  days  at  eight  dollars  per  day."     "  How  does  it 

happen  that  you  are  getting  more  than  the  others?  "  I  in- 
quired. "  Oh,  I  'vebeen  carpentering;  that 's  worth  more." 
— "  Are  you  a  regular  carpenter  ?  "  He  blushed  and  said, 
"  I  'm  a  professional  man  at  home,  but  here  I  'm  doing  what 
I  can  get  for  a  living,"  and  glancing  at  him  I  saw  how  far 
above  the  average  was  the  face  of  the  fellow  dressed  in  over- 
alls. Returned  to  m}'  writing,  and  presently  heard  two  men 
making  the  circuit  of  the  tent,  finally  saying,  "  Where  the 
dickens  can  the  entrance  be  ?  "  I  raised  the  flap  and  they 
handed  me  a  bill  for  lumber.  I  then  proceeded  to  deluge 
them  with  questions  as  to  the  cause  of  the  detention,  and 
the  reason  why  their  contract  had  been  broken.  It  was  the 
noon  hour,  so  I  had  to  go  in  search  of  George,  who  was  at 
dinner,  and  turn  the  men  with  the  lumber  over  to  him. 
"  I  've  half  taken  their  heads  off,  George,"  said  I  ;  "so 
leave  you  to  complete  the  task."  "  Why,  you  don't  mean 
to  say  that  lumber  's  here  already  ?  "  called  out  one  of  the 
workmen  ;  "  well,  you  must  have  hustled."  The  other  men 
joined  in  and  chaffed  them  so  unmercifully  that  it  is  a  wonder 
they  did  not  cut  the  rope  and  let  the  raft  float  down  the 
Yukon. 

Four  o'clock,  and  E came  in,  looking  ready  to  drop. 

"  It  's  all  off',  all  off,"  said  she  ;  "  we  've  everything  back 
on  our  hands  again."  I  was  alarmed  and  perplexed,  and, 
fearing  that  something  dreadful  had  occurred,  questioned 
her  anxiouslj'  concerning  the  result  of  her  interview  with  the 
merchants.      "  Oh,  I  've  had  the  most  awful  two  hours  of  my 

life.     Now  that  the  grocers,  M and  S ,  have  all  our 

boxes  there  and  all  our  things  displayed,  instead  of  giving 
us  a  thousand  dollars  down  and  good  security,  the}'  want 
to  send  us  out  of  the  country  without  a  penny  ;  said  they 
would  be  willing  to  sell  on  commission  for  us,  but  would  n't 
put  down  a  sou.  They  know  we  are  leaving  on  Wednesday, 
that  we  have  not  the  time  to  do  all  our  own  packing,  collect 
our  goods  (which  make  a  fine  show  on  their  shelves)  from 


23^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

them,  and  transfer  them  to  someone  else  ;  they  have  heard 
we  are  building  a  house  which  is  to  cost  several  times  more 
than  we  were  led  to  believe  ;  that  we  have  grub  staked  men 
liberally,  and  spent  so  much  ready  cash  that  they  think  they 
have  us  in  a  tight  place  and  are  taking  advantage  of  it. 

M said,  '  I  will  not  give  you  one  penny  down  and  no 

security  of  an}-  kind,  and  would  rather  you  would  take  your 
goods  away.'  " 

"  That  was  because  she  intimated  that  she  could  not  trust 
him  to  render  a  true  accounting,"  interrupted  Jones,  "and 
you  can't  talk  to  men  like  that  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  Mr.  Jones,"  said  E ,  in  her  most 

dignified  manner,  which  completely'  crushed  poor  John  ;  "  I 
said  it  would  not  be  business-like  to  trust  them  without 
security,  nor  would  it."  The  talk  continued  for  some  time 
until  finally  I  said,  "You  are  perfectly  fine  at  business,  but 
you  are  tired  now  and  this,  naturally,  has  upset  you  ;  shall  I 
see  what  I  can  do?"      "You  can't  do  a  thing  with  them," 

cried  E .     "  Yes,  do  go,"  said  John  ;  "  coz  she  was  so 

excited,  she  would  n't  let  them  talk  and  say  what  they 
would  do.  You  '11  see  they  wants  to  do  wot  's  right  an'  the 
likes  o'  that,  only  they  got  hot,  and  did  n't  care  then  what 
they  said." — "  Here  I  've  wasted  a  whole  week,  and  when  I 
told  M that  his  partner  S had  offered  me  five  hun- 
dred dollars  down  only  yesterday,  he  said  he  did  n't  believe 
it.     I  simply  opened  the  door  and  said,  '  Will  you  come  here 

a  moment,  Mr.  S ?     Did  you  not  ask  me  yesterday  if  I 

would  accept  five  hundred  dollars  ?  '    'I  did,  Miss  V ,'  he 

replied.    M was  furious,  but  could  not  go  back  of  that ;  so 

the  situation  now  is  five  hundred  dollars  down,  which  M 

does  n't  want  to  give,  or  selling  our  goods  on  commission  of 
ten  per  cent,  and  no  security  of  any  kind.  That  doesn't 
seem  right  or  business  like  to  me,  and  I  don't  see  how  we 
can  safely  trust  them  with  our  goods." 

"  Do  come  an'  .see  what  you  can  do  with  'em,  Mrs.  H ," 

said  John.  "I  '11  row  you  across  now — I  think  they  '11  come 
round  all  right  when  they  've  cooled  down.  They  're  friends 
o'  mine,  an'  I  introduced  them  to  ver  so  as  to  do  all  I  could 


A  New  Experience  337 

to  help  yer,  but  if  you  come  back  next  year  I  '11  never  in- 
troduce a  livin'  soul,  not  even  if  you  never  has  nobody  to 
speak  to,"  and  Jones  looked  also  as  though  he  had  lost  his 
last  friend. 

"  Don't  be  discouraged,  E ,"  said  I,  ready  to  start  ; 

■"  I  '11  arrange  something." 

While   crossing  the  Yukon  Jones  said   he  thought  that 

E had  taken  offence  where  none  was  intended,  and  hurt 

the  amour  pyoprc  of  the  two  men.     In  a  few  moments  we  had 

reached   the   store.     Jones   then   said,    "  Mr.    S ,    I   've 

brought  the  partner  of  Miss  V ,  who  has  come  to  have  a 

fuss  with  you."     "  Oh,  I  hope  not,"  said  Mr.  S ,  with  a 

sigh.     Mr.  M asked  me  into  the  office,  and  I  asked  him 

to  lay  all  the  facts  before  me.  In  a  quiet,  dignified  manner 
he  explained  that  as  a  commission  merchant  he  thought  that 
five  hundred  dollars  down  was  sufficient  guarantee  of  good 
faith,  and  that  his  books  would  be  open  weekly  to  the  in- 
spection of  our  agent,  to  whom  he  would  pay  over  all  moneys  ; 
but  that,  owing  to  some  expression  of  doubt  as  to  his  good 

faith  he  had  request  E to  remove  her  goods,  preferring 

to  fill  his  shelves  with  other  articles  of  his  own,  from  which 
he  would  obtain  much  more  profit  than  the  ten  per  cent, 
commission.  As  for  securit}',  he  could  give  references  from 
reliable  persons  here  and  on  the  outside  if  we  wished,  and 
should  be  glad  to  keep  our  goods  on  these  terms  if  we  saw 
fit  to  accept  them.  After  thoroughh'  discussing  the  matter, 
I  promised  to  give  a  decision  the  following  day,  and  was 
referred  to  Colonel  K . 

I  went  to  his  office,  but  he  was  not  in.  I  waited  for  a 
short  talk  with  the  gold  weigher,  who  had  been  very  kind 
to  us,  and  asked  his  advice.  "  Commission  merchants  are  not 
supposed  to  give  securitj', ' '  said  he,  ' '  particularlj'  in  this  town 
where  money  brings  ten  per  cent,  a  month,  and  I  think  their 
■offer  of  five  hundred  dollars,  with  a  decision  to  report  to  your 

agent  weekly,  a  verj-  good  one."     Colonel  K returned, 

greeted  me  most  cordially,  and  said,   "  I  'm  very  glad  to 

meet  you,  Mrs.  H ,  and  have  long  wanted  to  know  you, 

but  am  the  busiest  man  in  Dawson,  with  never  a  moment  to 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


myself,  night  or  dny.  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  "  He  lis- 
tened carefully  to  my  case  and  said,  "  I  think,  if  you  have 

your  own  agent  to  collect  weekly,  that  M and  S 

might  do  very  well  by  you,  and  I  '11  be  verj'  glad  to  super- 
intend or  do  anything  in  my  power."  With  such  advice 
from  so  responsible  a  man  my  mind  was  relieved,  and  I  went 
down  quite  content  to  wait  on  the  platform  of  the  Alaska 


THE    ASSAY    OFFICE. 


Commercial  Company  for  Jones.     Mr.  H stopped  to  ask, 

"  Have  you  disposed  of  your  .stationery  ?  " — "  Yes,  and  for 
exactly  the  price  which  you  called  exorbitant.  The  parties, 
who  purchased  for  cash,  said  that  our  demand  was  so  reason- 
able that  it  allowed  a  good  margin  for  profit  to  them." 
— "  And  your  groceries  ?  "  "I  suppose  you  remember  that 
you  offered  to  give  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  for  the  lot, 
out  of  which  vour  commission  was  to  be  deducted  ?     Well, 


A  New  Experience  339 

I  've  sold  one  hundred  dollars'  worth  each,  to  three  different 
individuals,  and  have  between  four  and  five  hundred  dollars' 
worth  remaining  !  "  said  I  triumphantly.  Here  we  were 
interrupted  by  Dr.  ,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  fifty- 
mile  tramp  on  the  trail  and  said  he  hoped  to  go  out  with  us 
on  the  Ora  on  the  fourteenth. 

Good,  kind  Jones  here  made  his  appearance  to  row  me 
back,  "  Well,  did  yer  fix  it  ?  "  said  he,  as  soon  as  we  were 

floating  down  the  Yukon,  with  Monsieur  L ,  the  brewer, 

as  passenger.  "  I  hoped  yer  would.  It  don't  do  no  good 
to  lay  down  the  law  to  them  people  up  here  ;  they  won't 

stand  it."     Von  M spent  the  evening.     Said  the  ani- 

mato.scope  was  working  beautifullj',  except  for  the  leak  in 
the  bags,  which  could  not  be  discovered.  He  had  engaged 
a  man  who  thoroughly  understood  acetylene  lights  at  two 
dollars  an  hour,  and  they  were  to  practise  at  one  o'clock  the 

following  day. 

Sundaj-,  September  nth. 

Our  watches  and  clock  were  not  wound  last  night,  so  ex- 
cited were  we  over  the  events  of  the  day ;  consequently  there 
was  no  way  of  telling  the  time.     I  had  written  several  pages, 

and  E had  the  breakfast  almost  ready,  when,  glancing 

at  one  of  the  watches,  she  exclaimed,  "  Why,  it 's  going  !  and 
it 's  only  half  after  four  !  Well,  if  that 's  not  a  good  joke  on 
us  !  I  thought  it  strange  that  I  did  not  feel  hungry,  and  it 's 
as  silent  as  the  grave  ;  even  the  dogs  are  quiet  after  a  hard 
night  of  barking."  Shortly  after  came  the  sound  of  a  gong 
from  one  (jf  the  river  steamers  at  Dawson.     ' '  That  ma}-  mean 

anything  from  six  to  seven,"  continued  E .     "  George 

said  he  was  coming  to  work  on  the  roof  of  our  house  to-day 
at  seven,  if  we  did  not  object  to  his  desecrating  the  Sabbath. 
I  told  him  that  under  ordinary  circumstances  we  did,  but 
now  we  cannot  help  ourselves  if  we  wish  to  put  our  house- 
hold effects  under  cover.     He  has  not  arrived  yet."     "  I 

forgot  to  tell  you,"  interrupted  I,  "  that  Colonel  K has 

invited  us  for  luncheon  on  Monday,  but  I  told  him  that  one 
of  us  had  always  to  remain  in  the  tent,  as  the  last  article 
stolen  was  a  bottle  of  champagne." 


340         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

lo  A.M.  and  no  one  to  row  u.s  to  Dawson.  All  neighbours 
soundly  sleeping.     Not  a  tent  door  or  house  door  open. 

10.30.  Jones  sleepily  appears,  only  to  hear  that  we  have 
no  wood  and  have  not  been  able  to  hire  an3'one  to  fetch  us 
some,  as  there  liave  been  no  passers-by.  He  kindly  skir- 
mished about  \\'est  Dawson,  but  not  a  man  would  chop  fuel 
on  Sunday.  "  I  did  n't  like  to  tell  'em  it  was  for  the  '  big 
tent,'  or  else  you  would  'a'  been  'hot'  at  them  a-doin' 
it  for  nawthin'  or  at  the  '  out-of-sight  price'  they  'd  'a' 
asked  j-ou."  So,  like  the  good  soul  he  was,  he  had  stopped 
and  cut  it  for  us  himself. 

It  was  quite  eleven  before  I  could  reach  Dawson  to  keep 

my  appointment  with  M and  S .     "  Only  an  hour 

late,"  said  the}',  as  I  entered  the  little  establishment  to  check 
off  the  goods  on  the  only  day  when  we  could  not  be  inter- 
rupted b}'  customers.     We  worked  steadily  until  one,  when 

Mr.  M invited  me  to  the  restaurant  opposite  for  luncheon. 

The  cheapest  thing  on  the  bill  of  fare  was  "  lamb  chops,  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents."     This  I   immediately   selected.     It 

was  served  with  verj-  good  bread,  butter,  and  pickles.     I\I 

told  me  of  many  interesting  experiences  in  Alaska  Several 
of  our  friends  who  passed  came  in  to  greet  us,  among  others 

Von  M ,  who  said,"  I  not  only  saw  you,  but  noticed  that 

the  fixtures  are  for  the  acetylene  light,  so  stopped  to  see  if 
some  one  here  could  teach  me  the  secret  of  preparing  the 
gas,  as  I  mu.st  try  and  use  it  unless  I  can  find  a  good  tank 
to  replace  your  tiseless  gas-bags."  After  luncheon  I  finished 
checking  off"  the  list  of  ' '  personal  efi"ects  ' '  that  I  did  not  wish 

to  take  back.     M had  written  them  all  down,  and  the 

sum  amounted  to  between  seven  and  eight  hundred  dollars. 
"  Well,  I  guess  I  won't  get  married,"  said  he,  "  if  ladies 
have  to  travel  with  so  much  stuff"  that  they  don't  want,  be- 
sides all  the  beautiful  things  that  you  ladies  are  taking  back." 

Just  as  we  were  beginning  to  check  off  the  groceries.  Von 

M came   and   offered   to   assist.     I    read    and   checked 

from  the  bill.      M found  the  articles  and  packed  them  on 

shelves,  while  Von  M wrote  the  list  and  numbered  them 

in    M 's   book.     It   was   quite   six   before   we   finished. 


A  New  Experience  341 

"  What  can  we  do  now?"  said  I.  "  We  are  leaving  on 
Wednesday  ;  only  Monday  and  Tuesdaj-  to  do  our  packing, 
and  it  will  be  impossible  to  check  the  remainder  with  your 
shop  full  of  customers. "  "  Oh,  the  checking  now  will  take 
very  little  time.  Can  you  be  here  at  seven  to-morrow  morn- 
ing ?  " — "  Should  like  to,  but  there's  not  a  man  in  West  Daw- 
son who  can  get  up  before  nine,  and  here  's  Mr.  Von  M , 

who  slept  till  nearly  one  to-day,  according  to  his  own  confes- 
sion."    "  If  I  had  a  boat,"  said  M ,  "  j'ou  should  never 

have  that  excuse  for  not  coming  early,  for  I  'd  row  you  over 
myself,"  and  he  looked  as  though  he  very  much  doubted  my 
ability  to  rise  earlier  than  any  other  West  Dawsonite. 

Von  M escorted  me  down  to  the  water-front,  where  I 

met  C ,  who  inquired  if  the  bowling-alley  had  yet  been 

disposed  of,  and,  if  not,  whether  he  could  get  at  it  after  our 
departure  in  case  he  should  find  a  good  customer,  his  in- 
tention being  to  try  and  float  a  small  company  with  the  idea 
of  gaining  a  ten  per  cent,  commission  on  its  sale.  A  Jewish 
fellow-passenger  next  accosted  me  to  ask  if  I  would  let  him 
have  the  fifteen-pound  blankets  just  received  in  my  box 
from  Murphy  Grant  for  fifteen  dollars.  "  Most  certainly 
not,"  said  I  ;  "  the  cost  was  twelve  dollars,  the  freight  one 
dollar  and  fifty  cents,  to  say  nothing  of  the  dutj'." — "  But 
what  are  you  going  to  do  with  them  ?  Blankets  are  a  drug 
on  the  market."  "  Keep  them,"  said  I  ;  "  not  give  them 
away,  certainly."  As  we  were  approaching  the  canoe,  a  raft 
was  tied  in  front  of  it,  blocking  egress  entirely.      "  How  do 

you  expect  us  to  get  out  ?  "  said  Von  M .     "  Oh,  you  '11 

find  a  way  if  you  try,"  replied  the  owner  as  he  disappeared 
into  one  of  the  houses.  Although  we  pushed  small  boats 
this  side  and  that,  we  could  make  no  room  for  the  egress  of 
the  Aline. 

Von  M then  shouted  until  he  brought  out  the  man 

who  had  tied  the  raft,  and  having  discovered  from  experience 
that  only  suasion  is  of  use  in  this  part  of  the  world,  he  said, 
"  I  say,  partner,  will  you  lend  us  a  hand  at  getting  out  of 
here?"  The  man's  manner  instantly  changed,  he  became 
most  affable,  and  worked  to  such  good  effect,  letting  out  the 


342         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ropes  of  some  boats,  drawing  in  on  others,  that  we  were  soon 
afloat.  Before  pushing  off  a  man,  catching  sight  of  Ivan, 
said,  "  What  a  beauty  !  I  saj-,  partner,  I  '11  give  you  five 
dollars  spot  cash  for  that  dog."     "  Don't  you  think  four 

would  be  quite   enough?"    retorted    Von    M .      "Oh, 

j'ou  're  joshing  ;  but  honour  bright,  I  '11  give  you  seventy- 
five  dollars,"  he  shouted,  as  we  got  farther  awaj-  from  the 
shore.  To  relieve  his  mind,  I  called  out,  "  A  thousand 
down  would  not  buy  him  ;  he  '11  earn  that  in  prizes  next 
year,  and  be  known  as  the  great  Klondike  traveller."  We 
were  soon  at  the  tent,  where  E had  been  holding  a  re- 
ception the  entire  day,  everyone  of  our  Dawson  friends  and 
acquaintances  having  turned  up.  Nevertheless  she  had  a 
dinner  of  corned  beef,  potato  balls,  and  asparagus  salad  pre- 
pared, in  which  we  were  joined  by  Jones  and  Von  M , 

the  latter  furnishing  a  loaf  of  his  own  bread,  which  was  as 

delicious  as  E 's  nice  tea-biscuit. 

Von  M and  E washed  dishes,  and,  as  we  gathered 

around  the  stove  for  pleasant  converse,  a  sudden  gale  of 
wind  sprang  up,  shaking  the  tent  as  a  dog  would  a  rag.  In 
a  few  minutes  shelves  were  all  thrown  down  with  a  crash. 
Fortunately,  that  very  day  the  glass  had  all  been  removed. 
The  tent  next  became  inflated,  and  was  raised  so  high  that 
all  the  side-poles  were  lifted  out  ;  papers  whirled  about  ;  the 
stove-pipe  bowed   first  in   one  direction,    then  in   another. 

E looked  outside  and  said,  "  It  's  a  hurricane  sky,  as 

black  as  ink  ;  the  tent  will  surely  fall  to-night,  and  I  don't 
want  to  remain.  Oh  !  if  those  men  had  only  sent  the  lumber 
as  agreed,  we  should  now  be  under  a  solid  roof."  Good 
John  came  to  the  rescue  again.  "  Take  m^'  tent,  ladies,  I  'm 
going  to  sleep  over  in  town  to-night  any  way,  an'  you  might, 
just  as  well  as  not.  It  ain't  for  the  likes  o'  you  to  be  skeered 
all  night  when  John  's  got  a  nice  little  tent  as  tight  as  a 
drum,  what  no  gale  can  harm."  E was  decidedly  in- 
clined to  accept  this  offer,  saying,  "  We  '11  be  crushed  to 
death  if  this  does  come  down,  and  you  '11  be  responsible." 
But  the  workmen  had  a.ssured  me  that,  although  the  tent  had 
been  badly  put  up,   at  the  same  time  there  were  so  many 


< 


344         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ropes  and  they  were  so  tightlj'  fastened  that  we  had  no  real 
cause  for  alarm.  Towards  midnight  the  gale  abated,  our 
fears  were  quieted,  and  we  crawled  into  our  smaller  habita- 
tion and  slept  the  sleep  of  the  just. 

Monday,  September  I2lh. 
Up  at  5.30.  Wrote  steadily  for  two  hours.  At  g  a.m. 
Jones  arrived,  saying,  "  Unless  you  ladies  want  the  frost  to 
draw  the  nails  out  and  the  rain  and  snow  to  leak  through 
3'our  house,  you  '11  have  to  buy  some  tar  paper  to  put  be- 
tween the  lumber  and  the  slabs.  It  's  an  awful  price,  but 
it  's  the  only  thing  to  do  ;  only  costs  three  dollars  a  roll  in 
the  States,  but  there  's  a  corner  on  it  here  and  so  it  is  .selling 
for  thirty  dollars  each,  and  almost  impossible  to  get  at  that." 
George  came  to  confirm  this  statement  as  to  the  absolute 
necessit}^  of  this  extra  expense,  saying  that  had  the  lumber 
and  slabs  been  according  to  order  it  would  have  been  all 
right,  but,  owing  to  the  fact  that  a  different  lot  had  been 
sent,  tar-paper  must  go  in  ;  that  perhaps  a  roll  and  a  half 
might  do,  which  Jones  hoped  to  get  for  forty-five  dollars. 
Extra  nails,  door,  hinges,  and  hasps  were  also  wanted  at 
once,  so  over  I  went  with  Jones  to  the  North  American 
Transportation  Company  to  cash  a  check  for  one  hundred 
dollars.  Only  ninety-five  dollars  was  handed  me  in  return. 
"  What  does  this  mean  ?  " — "  Five  dollars  for  connnission  ; 
that  's  what  we  have  to  pay  at  the  bank  " — "  Very  well, 
then,  you  may  close  my  account  at  once.  I  refused  to  go  to 
the  other  company  because  they  charged  me  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  a  hundred  on  notes  that  would  be  sold  at  a  pre- 
mium to  miners  going  home  who  cannot  carrj'  so  much  gold 
dust,  and  opened  an  account  here  owing  to  the  fact  that  you 
cashed  at  par."  "  Well,"  said  the  clerk,  "  we  will  do  so 
this  time,  but  hereafter  must  charge  the  percentage."  Jones 
was  then  given  seventy  dollars  with  which  to  purchase  the 
necessary  articles,  and  went  off  on  another  mission,  for  which 
as  usual  he  would  accept  nothing  but  thanks.     I  went  to 

M and  S 's  to  continue  checking  off  the  goods,  a  task 

which   occupied    nie  steadily   until  4  p.m.     The  laundress 


A  New  Experience  345 

passed  and  was  requested  to  bring  the  linen  to  me  at  once, 
but   failed   to   do  so,    although   she    had    promised   readily 

enough.     W was  one  of  many  to  call  and  inquire  for 

foolscap  paper,  and  stopped  to  chat  and  chaff  me  about  my 
"  store."     "  There  must  be  a  corner  in  foolscap,"  said  I  to 

M .     "  Indeed  there  is,  and  had  yon  brought  enough  to 

stock  this  store  we  should  all  have  made  our  fortunes.  One 
can  ask  any  price  for  it  now." 

The  work  ended,  I  went  to  pay  Mr.  W for  the  lumber 

with  which  our  house  was  built,  but  his  office  was  closed 
and  padlocked.  On  my  waj-  back  through  Main  Street,  I 
stopped  to  inquire  of  real  estate  men  if  there  was  an}'  demand 
for  houses  in  West  Dawson.  They  said  that  there  was  none, 
but  that  the}'  were  ready  and  willing  to  take  charge  of  the 

cabin  at  once,  and  see  what  could  be  done.     Met  Mr.  W 

talking  to  our  consul,  and  stopped  to  tell  him  that  as  we 
were  going  out  on  Wednesday,  I  must  pay  dues  "  then  or 
never."  "I  '11  go  back  with  you,"  said  he.  "  Tell  him, 
Mr.  Consul,  please,  that  although  I  do  live  in  the  '  big  tent,' 
which  has  created  an  erroneous  impression  in  the  minds  of 
the  people  here,  that  I  am  only  a  poor  widow,  and  must  not 

be   imposed   upon."       "  On   the    contrary,"    said    M , 

"  widows  are  dangerous,  and  should  be  doubly  taxed." 

Mr.  W then  escorted  me  to  the  office,  and  made  out 

the  forms,  which  I  signed  on  four  different  papers,  paying 
thirteen  dollars.  On  handing  me  the  receipt,  he  said,  "  The 
Government  has  decided  to  recognise  '  squatters'  rights ' 
in  '  Dawson  Annex, '  so  this  bit  of  paper  shows  that  you  have 
paid  your  dues,  and  prevents  your  land  from  being  jumped." 
"So  it  is  not  '  West  Dawson,'  but  '  Dawson  Annex?  '  " 
questioned  I.  "  That  's  the  official  name  for  it,"  he  re- 
plied. 

Back  to  M and  S I  went,  only  to  learn  that  Von 

M had  called  for  me  and  concluded  that  someone  else 

must  have  rowed  me  across  the  river.  Down  to  the  usual 
rendezvous,  to  see  if  perchance  good  Jones  might  be  there. 
Not  a  sign  of  him,  and  six  o'clock  struck.  A  long  day  from 
5.30  A.M. 


346         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

After  waiting  half  an  hour  Neighbour  E passed  on  his 

way  home,  and  kindly  rowed  me  over.  He  spent  the  even- 
ing, while  a  few  of  our  neighbours  ' '  looked  in  ' '  long  enough 
to  exchange  a  yarn  or  two.  "  Here  's  the  first  letter  I  've 
received  for  months,"  said  one,  and  before  reading  it  aloud 
he  made  the  following  explanation  :  "  You  see,  I  struck  it 
pretty  rich  last  year,  and  a  reporter  happening  to  meet  me 
when  I  came  back  from  one  of  mj'  mines  on  Dominion  with 
a  big  bag  of  nuggets,  took  a  snap-shot  and  wrote  me  up.  The 
picture  and  the  storj^  found  their  way  up  into  a  corner  of 
New  England  where  I  used  to  live,  and  the  next  mail  from 
there  into  Daw.son  brought  me  letters  by  the  dozen  from 
people  I  'd  never  seen  or  heard  of,  but  who  'd  all  developed 
an  enormous  lot  of  friendship  for,  and  interest  in  me,  since 
hearing  that  I  'd  probably  struck  millions.  The  only  one  I 
answered  was  from  a  young  girl  who  wanted  me  to  look  out 
for  her  brother,  and  here  's  what  she  says  iu  reply  : 

"  My  dear  Sir:  Your  kind  and  much  appreciated  letter 
came  to  hand  several  days  ago.  It  may  surprise  you  to  hear 
that  my  brother  returned  home,  after  getting  as  far  as  Lake 
Linderman.      He,   with  many  others,  lost  his  outfit  and  all 

provisions  and  turned  homeward,  reaching  here  about 

.  His  tales  concerning  the  Klondike  were  thrilling  in- 
deed "   ("That  's  good" — interrupted  Q , — "and  only 

got  as  far  as  Lake  Linderman  !  ")  "  and  we  are  heartily  glad 
to  have  him  return  with  good  health.  He  brought  with  him 
a  handful  of  nuggets  " — ("  Wonder  where  he  got  them,  in  the 
Lake,  or  from  behind  a  counter?  "  was  the  next  interruption) 
— "  and  a  ring  which  is  quite  a  curiosity.  The.se  he  will  keep 
to  remind  him  of  those  miserable  days.  I  can  never  thank 
you  enough  for  the  kindness  you  show  in  your  letter.  I  feel 
assured  that  you  would  have  done  anything  in  your  power 
for  my  brother,  and  in  return,  let  me  saj^  that  if  I  can  in  any 
way  return  the  kindness,  I  shall  be  happy  to  do  so.  Though 
poor  in  this  world's  goods,  we  should  rather  have  brother  at 
home  with  us  than  running  such  risks.  I  have  no  sweet- 
heart to  go  to  the  gold  mines.  As  you  say  of  yourself  I 
have  never  been  a  favourite,  but  that  does  not  make   me 


A  New  Experience  347 

miserable.  I  have  my  father  and  mother  to  think  of,  and 
their  comfort  ought  to  be  considered.  You  see  ni}-  brother 
did  not  have  verj'  much  '  New  England  grit,'  or  he  would 
Imve  pushed  on  while  so  near.  Now  with  many,  viany 
thanks,  for  the  kindly  and  generous  manner  with  which  you 

have  treated  me,  I  am  ever  your  true  friend,  D J . 

P.  S. — Many  wishes  for  good  health  and  success."  The 
reader  of  this  epistle  was  so  unmercifully  chaffed  that  the 
party  soon  broke  up. 

I  told  E of  Jones's  conversation    while  rowing   me 

across  in  the  morning.  "  It  ain't  for  me  to  talk  an'  the 
likes  o'  that,  but  if  you  go  away  from  here  leavin'  all  your 
busine.ss  to  them  '  Pick  an'  Dilly  dudes  '  you  need  n't  never 
expect  to  see  nothing  o'  your  money.  They  don't  know 
how  to  git  on  with  the  folks  here,  who  gives  'em  the  laugh 
every  time.  You  see  these  here  English  dudes  they  talks  to 
yer  like  they  woz  the  only  people  on  this  durn  globe,  an' 
the  likes  o'  that,  and  the  folks  here  ain't  goin'  to  stand  their 
grand  airs,  an'  they  '11  be  puttin'  them  out  before  they  knows 
it — them  an'  yanr  machines  an'  everything  else,  an'  then 
where  are  you  ?  Now  if  you  'd  just  'a'  trusted  to  them  as 
you  knows  well,  you  'd  never  'a'  had  no  trouble.  I  've  been 
about  the  world  enough  to  know  what  's  what,  an'  can  josh 
everybody  an'  keep  'em  good-humoured  all  the  time,  but 
them  there  dudes,  I  ain't  got  no  use  for  them,  an'  no  one  else 
ain't  either."  "  Well,  Jones,"  said  I,  "  '  them  there  dudes  ' 
you  talk  about  are  most  energetic,  and  rush  to  work  the 
moment  you  tell  them  of  anything." — "  What  have  they 
done  ?  They  've  had  your  animatoscope  for  weeks  an'  ain't 
made  it  work  yet,  an'  ain't  likely  to."  "  But,"  interrupted  I, 
"  there  are  others  whom  we  would  like  to  trust  who  are  more 
than  willing,  but  always  procrastinate,  so  that  they  have  to 
be  asked  over  and  over  again  to  do  a  thing  until  we  are 
weary  and  the}'  also."  "All  right,"  said  Jones,  "  it  ain't 
for  the  likes  o'  me  to  tell  grand  folks  like  you  what  to  do, 
but  I  would  n't  trust  my  affairs  as  you  're  a-trustin'  yours, 
that  'sail." 

E then  confided  to  me  that  when  Jones  took  her  across. 


548 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


he  had  as  passenger  the  bartender  of  C 's  saloon,  who 

said,  "  I  ain't  seen  the  parrot  for  a  day  or  two.  It  made 
such  a  lot  o'  noise  that  I  kinder  miss  it.  What  's  become 
of  it?"  "  Wh}',  it  died  the  first  day  it  went  over,"  responded 
Jones.  "  Not  much,"  said  the  barkeeper.  "  I  tell  you  it 
did,"  said  Jones,  "  the  very  first  daj',  as  I  told  these  ladies." 
"  Well,  it  's  a  pretty  lively  bird  for  a  dead  bird,  then,"  said 
the  barkeeper.  After  he  left  Jones  said,  "  That  there  bar- 
keeper was  just  a-jo.shin'  yer  ter  trj'  and  make  you  hot." 
What  is  the  mystery  ? 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

IN   THE    NEW    HOJIE    AT    LAST 

Tuesday,  September  13th. 

was  rowed  across  by  Jones  early  in  the  morning. 

She  was  to  iinish  lists  and  attend  to  commissions  ;  I 
to  remain  and  do  the  packing.  At  noon,  George  brought 
five  men  in  to  be  paid  off  and  laid  off.  One  was  paid  a  dollar 
too  much,  and  not  having  the  change  offered  to  work  it  out 
in  chores,  an  offer  gladly  accepted.  He  got  some  kindlings, 
but  when  we  asked  him  to  clean  and  hang  up  some  pans,  he 
said  he  was  n't  accustomed  to  such  work  and  could  n't  do 
it.  "  Neither  are  we  accustomed  to  it."  "  Well,  it  's  wo- 
man's work,  anyhow."  "  Won't  j-ou  clean  this  coat  outside 
for  me,  then  ?  It  's  too  heavy  for  me  to  brush."  "  I  don't 
know  as  I  care  to  do  that,  either,"  said  he,  stepping  out- 
side the  tent  ;  "  when  3-ou  want  wood  chopped  you  can  send 
for  me." 

At  two  o'clock  George  announced  that  he  could  give  me  a 
couple  of  men  to  lend  a  hand  at  moving  into  the  house  if  I 
were  read\\  In  one  corner  in  the  back  of  the  house  we  placed 
the  stove,  put  up  shelves,  I  driving  in  nails,  having  plenty  of 
them  for  the  first  time.  In  another  corner  was  an  enormous 
supply  of  wood,  all  the  ends  left  from  the  house,  and  shav- 
ings. The  two  other  corners  were  reserved  for  our  beds, 
which  were  boards,  placed  on  four  short  logs  of  wood,  cov- 
ered by  canvas  tightly  stretched,  our  hammocks  were  laid  on 
top  of  that,  then  our  air  mattresses  minus  the  air.  Blankets 
and  comfortables  were  covered  by  the  fur  robes  so  kindly 

349 


350 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


loaned  by  Mr.  L ,  and  by  the  one  recently  purchased 

for  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollars,  for  which  a  generous 
man  has  just  offered  me  seventy-five  dollars. 

At  5  P.M.  everything  was  in  order,  and  I  enjoyed  receiv- 
ing my  first  visitors.  Von  M and  W ,  who  brought 

me  fine  news — that  the  animatoscope  had  been  tried  and  was 
running  so  perfectly  that  they  thought  of  giving  an  exhibi- 


OUR    HOUSE    FINISHED    AT    LAST. 


tion  the  following  day,  or  else  of  taking  that  day  to  advertise. 
But  their  hopes  were  again  dashed  when  they  discovered  an- 
other serious  obstacle,  viz.,  that  the  one  hundred  pounds  of 
carbide  for  generating  the  gas,  and  for  which  we  hold  the  re- 
ceipts  from  the  John.son-Locke  Company,  have  never  arrived. 
This  necessitates  the  purchase  of  the  only  fifty  pounds  of 
carbide  in  town  at  a  price  twenty  times  higher  than  that 
which  we  paid  in  San  Francisco.     Their  ne.xt  information 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  351 

was  that  "Arizona  Charlie's"  show  had  shut  down  again, 
as  he  could  get  no  more  85°  gasoline. 

It  was  after  seven  when  E returned  in  high  spirits, 

after  a  most  successful  day.  She  was  delighted  with  the 
house,  the  arrangements,  and  everj'thing  in  general. 
Many  heads  stopped  at  the  door  to  see  the  largest  house  in 
Dawson  Annex.  Many  compliments  were  passed  and  we 
were  feeling  most  happy  over  the  change  until  Jones  came 
with  a  bill  for  lumber  almost  one  hundred  dollars  greater 
than  the  price  contracted  for.  We  became  decidedly  an- 
noyed over  the  discussion  that  followed.  Jones  declared  that 
lumber  at  one  hundred  and  twentN'-five  dollars  a  thousand 
was  marvellousl)'  cheap,  and  that  we  had  all  that  the  bill 
called  for  ;  we,  on  the  other  hand,  could  not  understand  why 
the  lumber  merchant  had  failed  to  keep  to  his  contract. 
Jones  said  that  he  had  sent  much  extra  wood  that  was  not 
included  in  the  bargain,  while  George  declared  that  it  was 
not  extra,  but  short.  Jones  concluded  that  there  was  no 
pleasure  in  doing  favours  and  commissions  for  two  such 
ladies,  who  thought  mure  of  twent}'  dollars  "  than  a  poor 
man  like  me  of  a  hundred,"  and  so  we  were  bullied  into 
giving  him  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  dollars  to  pay  a 
l)ill  which  seemed  all  wrong. 

Von  !M came  back  from  Dawson  quite  elated  at  the 

thought  of  the  speedy  opening  of  the  show  and  pleased  with 
his  aristocratic  staff  of  assistants  to  which  is  now  added 

R ,   of  Victoria,   B.   C.     Mrs.   T looked  in  to  say, 

"  3'ou  are  never  intending  to  .sleep  in  this  damp  cabin  to- 
night !  " — "  Damp  !  why  we  've  taken  off  rubber  boots  and 
muck-a-lucks  for  the  first  time,  and  are  now  enjoying  shoes 
and  a  floor,  in.stead  of  sinking  in  muddy  ground."  How  we 
did  enjoy  our  beds  ! 


352         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Wednesday,  September  14th. 

Such  a  splendid  night's  rest  !  It  was  nearlj-  seven  when 
I  got  up,  quick!}'  dressed,  and  opened  the  door  facing  the 
Yukon  River,  as  the  windowless  mansion  was  in  total  dark- 
ness. What  a  glorious  view  !  the  sun  was  just  peeping 
through  the  mist  that  covered  the  mountains.  George  was 
on  hand  with  another  lot  of  men  to  be  paid  off,  after  which 
he  said,  "  I  don't  like  to  see  you  two  ladies  done  in  the  eye, 
but  that  lumber  bill  was  all  wrong,  and  I  'm  ready  to  go 

with  either  one  o'  you  two  ladies  and  help  j'ou  out."     E 

had  unfinished  conunissions,  I,  packing,  to  do,  so  it  was 
easily  arranged,  and  she  got  Jones,  who  arrived  at  9.30,  to 
row  her  across.  One  of  the  neighbours  appeared  to  show 
me  some  views  he  had  taken,  and  to  exchange  photographs 
for  some  of  ni)'  chemicals.  I  got  some  fine  Kodak  views 
from  our  palace  door,  then  went  down  the  bank  to  snap  the 
new  steam-launch  for  which  the  owner  asks  seven  thousand 
dollars,  saying  it  is  worth  fifteen  thousand  on  the  "  outside." 
Engaged  "  Dave"  to  wash  dishes  and  clean  up  generally. 

Two  steamers  have  left  this  morning,  of  which  I  have 
taken  views  while  wondering  whether  their  passengers  will 
reach  the  outside  or  be  shut  in  by  the  ice.  Quite  a  gale  is 
blowing,  and  my  soul  is  filled  with  gratitude  at  being  under 
this  solid  roof  instead  of  in  the  big  tent.  Several  neighbours 
called  to  admire  the  new  house,  which  thej'  said  could  easily 
swallow  any  four  of  the  cabins  of  Dawson  Annex.  Towards 
dusk  a  3'oung  man  approached  the  door  saying,  "  Have  you 
any  bread  for  sale  ?  "  "  Not  this  evening,"  I  replied.  On 
seeing  my  quizzical  look,  he  took  off  his  hat,  saying,  "  This 
house  is  so  big  I  thought  it  must  be  a  store,  excuse  me  for 
the  mistake." 

Jones  has  been  feeling  sore  for  some  time,  and  speaking 

of  "  Big  A ,"  said,  "  I  told  him  Miss  V said  me  and 

him  was  n't  no  gentlemen  for  coming  two  hours  late  to  din- 
ner. I  think  you  're  both  o'  you  grand  ladies  givin'  us  the 
laugh  anj'way,  an'  don't  believe  you  'd  recognise  us  on  the 
'  outside'  even  at  a  dog-fight  ;  anyway,  you  've  learned  a 
lot  o'  Klondike  expressions  an'  knows  how  to  talk  language 


o 
o 


o 

I- 


354        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

that  me  an'   A understand,  and  don't  put  on  no  airs, 

nor  talk  highfalutin'  like  tlieni  there  dudes  o'  yourn.  By 
gosh  !  would  n't  I  like  to  be  at  a  dinner  in  New  York  and 

hear  Mrs.  H say  to  Miss  V '  You  bet,'  and  hear  Miss 

V call  back,  '  That  's  what '.     I  guess  the  folks  would 

all  drop  their  knives  and  forks  and  stare  at  you  both  like 

you  wascraz}'."     E brought  some  lamb  chops,  and  that 

with  potatoes  constituted  our  dinner.  As  we  were  at  table 
a  neighbour  called  with  his  wife.  They  pictured  the  horrors 
of  the  Chilkoot  in  such  a  way  that  we  shuddered  and  began 
to  think  of  trying  the  White  Pass  instead.  We  were  awak- 
ened at  eleven  by  a  knock  at  the  door,  then  a  voice  called 
out,  "  Oh,  I  beg  your  pardon,  have  j'ou  already  retired  ? 
Just  came  to  report  about  the  show  ;  the  advertisement 
across  the  street  worked  beautifully  and  attracted  hundreds 
and  thousands.  Will  tell  you  all  about  it  in  the  morning. 
Good-night." 

Thursday,  September  I5tli. 
Opened  the  front  and  only  door  at  half  after  six.  Such  a 
glorious  day  !  the  sun  already  shining  on  the  beautiful  hills 
oppo.site,  dressed  in  yellow  autumn  garb.  George  was  on 
hand  early  to  stake  out  another  50  x  100  lot,  as  we  are  en- 
titled to  squatters'  rights  on  a  second  bit  of  ground,  so  he 
told  us  that  he  would  put  a  cache  on  it  that  would  hold  it. 

E then  told  me  of  her  trip  to  the  steamship  office  the 

previous  da}',  where  she  had  been  able  to  change  the  cabins 
from  the  Ora  to  the  Columbian,  as  it  would  have  been  im- 
possible for  us  to  be  ready  in  time  for  the  former,  but  when 

she  visited  the  0>-a,  and  saw  C ,  F ,  M ,  K , 

and  others  all  going  out  and  informed  them  of  our  change 
of  plans,  their  regrets  were  loud  and  long,  as  thej'  said  they 
had  arranged  such  a  charming  party  to  go  over  the  Pa.ss  to- 
gether. Pass  goes  in  capital  letters  as  we  have  not  yet 
crossed  it  and  treat  it  with  great  respect  and  awe  even  in 

writing.     E also  told  me  of  having  disposed  of  the  soda 

machine,  until  the  purchaser  found  that  the  man  who  .sold 
it  had  failed  to  inclose  directions  as  promised,  so  that  the 
deal  was  off  and  the  article  left  on  our  hands. 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  355 

Von  M appeared  at  9.30  most  enthusiastic  over  the 

show  of  the  previous  evening.  Of  all  the  hard-working, 
energetic  fellows  I  have  ever  met  he  takes  the  lead.  He  is 
now  to  employ  his  evenings,  from  eight  to  eleven,  throwing 
advertisements  on  a  sheet  across  the  Main  Street,  he  to  have 
fifty  per  cent,  of  the  profits,  the  man  who  makes  the  slides 
twenty-five,  while  twenty-five  per  cent,  is  to  be  divided  be- 
tween E and  me  for  furnishing  the  machine  and  light  ; 

so  we  felt  ver\-  proud  of  having  introduced  a   novelty  into 

Dawson.     Von  M explained  that  they  first  threw  artistic 

pictures  until  they  had  a  large  crowd  gathered  together, 
then  advertised  the  animatoscope  with  the  Corbett  fight  to 
take  place  the  following  day:  "  Go  and  see  the  Corbett 
fight,"  etc.,  etc.,  and  wound  up  by  sa^-ing,   "Those  who 

wish  to  advertise  may  leave  orders  at  the  O Sisters'." 

After  the  show  was  over,  they  were  delighted  to  learn  that 
many  had  made  inquiries  in  regard  to  subscribing.  We 
purchased  in  San  Francisco  one  hundred  pounds  of  carbide 
with  which  to  run  the  acetylene  light  that  illuminates  this 
show,  but  although  we  have  the  receipt  from  the  Tillamook 
or  Johnson-Locke  Company,  and  their  promise  that  it  should 
be  sent  by  the  first  boat  tip  the  river,  the  barrel  was  left  at 
vSt.  Michaels  and  we  are  paying  one  dollar  a  pound  for  that 
which  cost  seven  cents  in  California.  "  Done  in  the  eye," 
as  George  would  sa}',  on  all  sides.  The  experience,  how- 
ever, is  valuable,  though  costlv,  and  we  shall  know  what  to 

do  next  time.     E was  soon  ready,  and  Von  M took 

her  to  Dawson.  As  one  of  the  keys  of  the  Yale  padlock 
which  fastened  our  door  had  mysteriously  disappeared,  Von 
W. exchanged  with  us  for  a  padlock  of  his. 

I  locked  the  cabin  and  went  with  George  to  select  a  site 
for  the  new  house.  We  went  on  the  hill,  questioned  the 
neighbours  as  to  where  the  land  had  been  staked  out,  and 
where  the  street  would  probably  run,  and  took  50  x  100  on  a 
small  elevation  quite  close  to  the  creek.  There  I  left  George 
building  the  cache  and  returned  to  my  journal.  Dave  soon 
came  to  see  if  he  could  assist  me.  He  chopped  wood  and 
brought  water,   then  was  paid  eighty-odd   dollars   for   his 


35^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

twelve  days'  work,  and  said  good-bj-e,  as  he  was  going  np 
"to  work  for  wages"  on  Bonanza  this  winter.  As  he 
wished  me  a  safe  trip  home,  he  said,  "  In  going  out,  I  hope 
}'0U  won't  have  kick  like  ours,  for  when  we  came  in  we 
first  struck  a  rock,  and  then  an  iceberg,  after  which  the 
captain  told  us  for  to  get  out  the  life-boats,  as  we  had  n't 
mucli  time,  as  the  ship  was  about  to  sink,  an'  then,  would 
you  believe  it,  I  missed  that  landslide  just  as  narrowly  as  I 
missed  the  shipwreck,  an'  my  family  in  Los  Angeles  know- 
ing nothing  about  it." — "  Our  people  at  home  would  be 
greatly  astonished  to  see  the  work  we  do  and  the  privations 
we  put  up  with  here,  would  n't  they,  Dave?"  "  Indeed 
they  would,  ma'am,"  said  the  good  old  man.  "  I  dunno 
what  my  wife  would  say  to  see  me  up  here  washing  dishes 
for  two  ladies  and  doing  kitchen  work,  when  she  thinks 
I  'm  panning  out  nuggets  and  coming  back  with  millions." 
I  had  scarcely  settled  down  to  accounts  when  Neighbour 

T called.     "  I  'm  obliged  to  be  most  inhospitable,"  said 

I,  "  but  I  am  deep  in  malheniatics;  if  you  '11  onlj'  come  in 
the  evening  when  the  light  is  not  sufficient  for  reading  and 
writing  and  we  are  perforce  idle,  3'ou  '11  meet  with  a  most 
cordial  welcome." — "  Oh,  I  just  came  to  ask  if  yon  'd  take 
a  letter  out  for  me." — "  With  great  pleasure."  This  re- 
minds me  that  M and  S asked  E j-esterday  if 

she  would  get  their  letters  for  them,  as  thej'  had  tried  for 
weeks  to  enter  the  post-ofiice  but  w-ithout  success,  the  crowd 
in  front  of  the  door  being  so  dense.  In  fact  I  saw  men 
pushed  out  by  main  force  by  the  police  simply  because  they 

were  too  eager  to  enter  for  news  from  home.     E ,  who  is 

always  obliging,  went  to  the  post-ofiice  and  the  crowd  at 
once  made  waj-  for  her.     Another   woman    also   asked   for 

S .     "  Here,  you  ladies  can  take  all  the  S 's,"  the 

clerk  replied,  and  they  were  handed  almost  a  barrelful  to 

select  from,  but  she  could  not  get  near  the  M list.     She 

also  saw  the  Crown  Agent  j-esterday  in  regard  to  the  land. 

It    seems    that   J had   applied    for   over   one   hundred 

acres,  while  the  law  allows  only  fort\-.  He  was  told  last 
week  that  the  first  demand  had  been  refused,  but  that  he 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  357 

might  put  iti  a  petition  for  forty  acres  ;  until  he  does  so,  all 
those  who  build  are  recognised  squatters,  and  his  forty 
acres  cannot  interfere  with  their  rights. 

Jones  has  not  yet  made  his  appearance  and  it  is  now  after 

one.     "  Our  show  "  is  to  commence  at  two  o'clock.     E 

is  going,  but  it  would  make  me  nervous  if  things  went 
wrong.     "Arizona  Charlie's"   show  has  shut  down,  not  to 

reopen,   and  he  has  applied  to  Von  M to  take   up  his 

contract  at  the  Combination  Theatre,  as  he  finds  it  impossi- 
ble to  continue  without  gasoline.  Another  neighbour  has 
just  called  to  tell  me  that  he  is  to  build  between  two  cabins 
as  the  commissioners  say  cabins  can  be  five  feet  apart.  Am 
thankful  that  there  is  no  room  on  either  side  of  our  big 
house  for  more  than  a  garden.  The  men  who  would  take  a 
lay  on  our  claims  on  Bear  Creek  now  say  that  they  have  not 
the  time  to  go  out  and  look  at  them  and  return  to  sign  papers 
before  we  start.  The  man  with  the  horse  with  whom  we 
had  the  misunderstanding  about  bringing  logs,  has  just  been 

here,  most  anxious  to  take  a  Iny  on  both  claims.     J 's 

partner,  the  Frenchman,  has  offered  me  his  interest  in  the 
forty  acres  for  a  town  site  for  two  thousand  five  hundred 
dollars.  A  man  who  has  an  invalid  wife  at  home  and  is  wild 
to  get  to  her,  called  to  offer  me  a  half  interest  in  his  richest 
claim  for  two  hundred  dollars — just  the  amount  necessary  to 
reach  home,  as  he  has  no  other  way  of  raising  it.  Another 
neighbour  stopped  to  tell  me  that  he  had  a  fine  chance  of 
buying  a  claim  from  a  man  just  sent  to  the  hospital.  What 
opportunities  for  magnificent  investments,  besides  ten  per 
cent,  a  vwnth  on  all  money  lent  on  Ai  securities  !  Still  an- 
other neighbour  stopped  to  say  that  Mr.  O has  promised 

to  pay  a  visit  to  "  Dawson  Annex  "  on  either  Saturday  or 
Monday  to  take  the  lay  of  the  land  preparatory  to  a  survey. 

E refused  invitations  to  dinner  and  returned  shortly 

after  seven,  Jones  rowing  her  back  and  remaining  to  di)ie 

and  wash  dishes.     After  dinner  Mr.  S and  Mr.  F 

of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Conipanj'  spent  the  evening, 
bringing  the  unheard-of  luxury  of  a  box  of  chocolates.  Just 
as  he  left.  Von  M rushed  in,  saying,  "  The  animatoscope 


35S         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

is  such  a  success  that  the  manager  of  the  Combination  Coni- 
pan)'  wants  to  hire  it,  and  has  sent  to  know  our  terms,  and 
as  for  the  magic-lantern  show  in  the  street,  we  have  three 
advertisements  already  at  thirt}'  dollars  a  week  each,  and 
are  likeh^  to  have  so  many  more  that  we  shall  probably  soon 
be  able  to  advance  the  price."  Well-deserved  success  for 
Von  M ,  after  so  nuich  hard  work  ! 

Friday,  September  i6th. 
My  turn  to   do  commissions   in    Dawson   to-day.      Von 

M rowed  me  across,  Jones  carrying  my  packages  to  the 

boat.  My  first  trip  was  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany, as  a  Mr.  O had  expressed  a  desire  for  my  beauti- 
ful fur  robe.  Knowing  that  I  was  so  .soon  to  leave,  could 
not  take  it  out  with  me,  and  had  no  other  opportunity  for 
disposing  of  it,  he  made  me  an  offer  of  one  hundred  dollars, 
though  aware  that  it  cost  one  hundred  and  thirty-five,  and 
that  its  mate  had  been  sold  for  two  hundred  and  fifty.     To 

M and  vS 's,  where  the  latter  said,  "  Oh,  Mrs.  H , 

you  are  just  in  time  ;  there  's  a  ladj-  in  the  little  room  who  's 

going  wild  over  the  prett}'  things  you  and  Miss  V are 

leaving  here.  I  could  n't  show  them  or  explain  to  her  satis- 
faction ;  would  you  mind  seeing  her?"  In  I  went  and 
found  "  playing  saleslady  "  so  amusing  and  pleasant  that  I 
disposed  of  eighty  dollars'  worth  in  half  an  hour.  From 
there  to  pay  dues  on  the  lumber  for  cache,  to  hold  the  land, 

but  since  the  arrival  of  Mr.  O ,  times  have  changed  and 

W thought  it  impossible  to  comph-  with  my  request. 

So  straight  to  headquarters  I  went  and  found  O most 

charmingly  affable.      He   immediately    ushered  me  into  a 

private  room  to  listen  to  ni}'  appeal.     "  Go  to  \V ,"  said 

he,    "  make  a  formal  application  for  the  two  lots,  one  for 

you  and  one  for  Miss  V ,  pay  twenty  dollars  cash  down, 

and,  as  the  land  is  to  be  surveved  on  Monday,  you  will  have 
first  claim  if  your  houses  do  not  stand  on  the  street  ;  in  case 
they  do,  they  must  be  moved."  "  You  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  after  putting  up  the  most  expensive  house  in  West 
Dawson,  there  is  a  possibility  of  its  being  moved  ?  "     "  It  it 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  359 

must  be,"  said  he  in  a  kindls-  waj^  "  I  promise  to  have  it 

done  for  }'ou  for  two  dollars."       Back  to  \V 's  office, 

where,    finding   that    I    could    not   sign    for   E ,    I    was 

obliged  to  put  in  an  application  for  the  lot  on  which  our  house 
now  stands,  and  proud  I  was  to  learn  that  my  name  heads 
the  list  and  my  receipt  is  number  one  in  the  Dawson  Annex 
or  West  Dawson  book.  "  Laud  will  be  very  valuable  there 
next  year,"  said  the  Crown  Agent,  "  as  Dawson  is  crowded, 
and  filled  with  typhoid  fever  and  dysentery,  so  that  those 
who  can  get  no  land  here,  or  who  wish  better  sanitary 
arrangements  will  turn  to  the  other  side." 

On  leaving  the  office,  Captain  B joined  me,  presenting 

two  other  officials,  %vho  posed  before  the  government  quarters 
in  compliance  with  my  request.  Met  Mr.  W just  re- 
turning from  his  claim  on  Bear  Creek  which  adjoins  mine. 
He  stopped  and  triumphanth'  displayed  some  of  the  most 
beautiful  gold  I  have  ever  seen,  which  he  obtained  at  a 
depth  of  only  two  feet.  From  that  time  on,  applications  for 
a  "  lay"  on  our  claims  began  to  come  in,  until  it  is  now 

embarras  dc  richesses.     W said,  as  he  left,  "I  'm  sure  of 

one  thing,  and  that  is,  there  's  enough  gold  in  my  Bear 
Creek  claim  to  keep  my  family  in  luxury  for  the  remainder 
of  their  lives,   and  as  yours  is  '  end  on  '   with   my    '  pay 

streak'  you  can  feel  very  happy  over  it."     Passing  M 

and  S 's  store  again,  they  begged  me  to  come  in  and  see 

two  ladies  who  were  anxious  to  get  some  of  our  fine  laces, 
so  in  I  went  and  explained  and  showed  to  their  heart's  con- 
tent. After  they  had  decked  themselves  in  our  laces  and 
ribbons  and  flowers,  etc.,  I  said,  "  Have  you  ever  tasted  any 
of  Van  Camp's  tomato  soup  ?  It  's  the  most  delicious  thing 
we  brought  in."  — "  Oh,  we  must  try  it  then,  \i you  think 
so,"  and  presently  their  order  ran  up  into  the  hundreds  and 
our  commission  merchants  wanted  to  engage  me  as  well  as 

E for  a  partner.     I  found  it  quite  as  much  of  a  lark  as 

she  had  done,  and  felt  as  though  back  at  a  booth,  selling  for 
a  church  fair  once  more. 

Von  M hunted  me  up  to  give  me  a  private  exhibition 

of  the  animatoscope,  which  runs  beautifullj'  ;    he  had  just 


360        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

shown  it  to  the  managers  of  the  Combination  Compan_v,  who 
expressed  themselves  as  delighted  with  it  and  read\-  for  a 

"  dicker."      M ,  W ,  and  R accompanied  me  for 

the  last  shopping,  and  then,  having  refused  the  Captain's  in- 
vitation to  dinner,  Von  M and  B rowed  me  honii. 

A  storm  was  brewing,  and  we  gained  the  shore  just  as  the 
gale  sprang  up  in  all  its  force  and  tiied  to  blow  the  canoe 

out  to  sea.     Von  M and  Jones  dined  with  us.     We  were 

thankful  at  being  out  of  the  tent  and  in  high  and  drj'  quarters, 
as  the  floodgates  were  let  loose  and  the  rain  came  down  ia 
such  torrents  that  it  seemed  as  though  Biblical  history  were 
about  to  repeat  itself  and  we  to  be  prisoners  in  the  ark.  To 
our  four  candles,  Jones  had  contributed  a  lantern  (we  had 

sold  our  fifty-cent  one  for  three  dollars),  and  Von  M a 

fine  kerosene  light  ;  even  this  extra  illumination  did  not  fill 
the  corners  of  the  house,  so  we  gathered  around  the  table  to 
read  the  latest  paper  from  Seattle,  dated  August  26th,  which 
I  had  been  induced  to  buy  for  fifty  cents,  as  the  young  rascal 
who  was  selling  them  like  hot  cakes  had  called  out,  "  War 
still  going  on  in  the  United  States.  War  begun  between 
England  and  Roosh-nr."  Towards  eleven,  the  patter  on  the 
roof-top  being  a  little  lighter,  our  guests  said  good-night 
and  went  out  into  the  blackness. 

Saturday,  Septemljer  lytb. 

Jones  and  I  are  decidedly  at  cross-purposes.  He  does  not 
like  my  "  dude  "  friends  and  "  haughty  "  ways,  and  is  be- 
coming very  sulky  to  me,  while  still  devoted  to  E .     Last 

evening  he  went  with  her  to  find  the  cache  which  we  had 
paid  George  for  building,  but  there  was  not  a  trace  of  it  to 
be  seen,  so  they  said.  Jones  accompanied  me  to  have  it 
pointed  out,  but  there  were  only  four  sticks  in  the  ground  and 
the  men  about  there  said  that  our  workmen  had  done  nothing 
else  ;  that  t/icy  had  cleared  the  land  and  felt  entitled  to  it,  so 

E promised  to  see  the  Crown  Agent  in  regard  to  it. 

Another  man  came  for  a  "  lay"  on  our  claims.  "  I  told 
you  I  was  going  to  work  them  for  you,"  said  Jones  ;  "  have 
you  any  objection  to  me  a-doin'  it,  Mrs.  H ?  " — "  Ves, 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  361 

Jones.    A has  given  j'ou  a  '  lay '  on  Sulphur,  which  is 

too  far  away,  and  then  again  you  say  you  are  going  '  out.' 
Your  plans  change  daily,  while  I  want  an  experienced  miner 
who  will  attend  to  nothing  else." — "  When  I  tells  you  I  'ni 
goin'  to  do  it,  I  'm  goin'  to  do  it  ;  an'  if  I  goes  out  I  puts 
someone  on  ter  the  lay — see  ?  " — "  That  won't  do  ;  there  's 
to  be  a  contract  drawn  up  and  the  work  is  to  be  done  sys- 
tematically." Jones  looked  angry  and  said  nothing  more. 
There  was  no  water  in  the  bucket,  and  the  spring  is  a  block 

off.     I  spoke  of  it  once  or  twice  to  E ,  but  Jones  made  no 

move  to  get  any.  I  took  the  bucket  and  started  for  the 
spring  ;  he  never  moved,  and  allowed  me  to  go.  He  looked 
very  sullen  when  I  returned,  and  soon   after  disappeared. 

E said,  "  I  told  him  he  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  himself," 

to  which  he  replied,  "  Well,  she  's  nicer  to  them  there  dudes 
an'  the  likes  o'  that  than  she  is  to  me,  and  if  she  wants  me  to 
do  anything  for  her  she  's  just  got  ter  ask  me." 

E left  at  ten  to  be  rowed  across  the  river  b}- Jones.     I 

had  just  begun  to  wash  the  breakfast  dishes  when  she 
entered,  dripping.  "  Fell  into  the  Yukon  and  was  up  to  my 
neck  when  Jones  pulled  me  out."  "  Don't  stop  to  talk,  but 
come  to  the  fire  and  get  into  dry  clothing  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble," said  I,  hastily  preparing  a  hot  drink  and  warm  flannels. 
"  The  rock  from  which  I  stepped  was  very  slippery,  and 
as  I  was  about  to  get  into  the  canoe  I  lost  my  footing  and 
was  in  the  Yukon  before  I  could  realise  what  had  happened. 
Had  Jones  not  caught  my  hand  I  should  have  been  carried 
down  by  the  current  ;  even  as  it  was,  it  seemed  an  impossi- 
bility for  him  to  lift  such  a  weight  as  mine  into  the  canoe, 
which  tipped  as  he  leaned  over.  I  could  get  no  hold  on  the 
rock,  so  simply  threw  myself  on  my  back  to  float,  and  that 
was  the  only  thing  that  saved  me.  How  I  got  on  shore  is  a 
mystery  to  me,  for  you  know  the  river  is  very  deep  there.  I 
did  not  think  of  myself  at  all,  but  only  of  what  a  terrible 
thing  it  would  be  for  you  to  go  home  and  tell  my  mother  of 
my  drowning.     Oh,  but  the  water  was  cold  !  "     An  hour 

after,  E had  quite  recovered  and  insisted  upon  carrying 

out  her  original  plan  of  rowing  to  Dawson,  leaving  me  to 


362         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

finish  packing.  She  is  in  for  another  ducking,  unfortunately, 
as  the  rain  is  now  coming  down  "  in  sheets." 

A  visit  from  a  neighbour  to  inquire  if  I  need  wood  or 
water.  He  has  just  left  after  giving  me  a  graphic  de.scription 
of  his  summer  on  the  Stewart  River.  He  and  his  five  com- 
panions had  begun  to  build  a  few  doors  nearer  the  creek,  he 

said,  when  J came    like    he  owned    the   country    and 

ordered  him  off.  "One  of  my  pals  invited  him  to  visit  a 
warmer  clime,  and  he  came  down  off  his  high  horse  and 
begged  us  not  to  put  up  our  shack  there,  pending  litigation  ; 
so  we  moved  to  the  other  side  of  your  mansion,  where  we  in- 
tend to  live.     W has  just  put  up  a  sign  to  stop  building 

until  after  the  land  shall  have  been  surveyed.  We  did  stop 
for  a  day,  but  after  talking  it  over,  decided  to  go  ahead,  even 
if  they  jail  the  lot  of  us,  and  we  '11  see  who  has  the  greater 
influence  in  Ottawa."  "  But,  since  the  law  allows  fifty  feet 
front,"  said  I,  with  the  air  of  a  landed  proprietor,  "  why 
should  you  encroach  upon  the  rights  of  others,  and  why 
should  you  not  put  up  your  cabin  where  you  can  have  your 
full  allowance  ?  "  "  Oh,  we  don't  care  for  the  ground,"  he 
replied,  "  we  only  want  a  roof  over  our  heads.  You  see  this 
part  of  the  world  is  not  at  all  as  we  expected.  We  had  an 
idea  that  it  was  only  necessary  to  come  here  to  make  a  for- 
tune— perhaps  not  to  pick  up  gold  in  the  street,  but,  at  least, 
that  men  with  good  health  and  willing  to  work  might  make 
a  good  living  until  opportunity  threw  something  fine  in  their 
way.  Instead  of  that,  we  wasted  the  entire  summer  pro- 
specting on  Stewart  River,  but,  finding  nothing,  we  have 
come  here  where  the  demand  for  workers  is  far  less  than  the 
supply.  If  I  could  go  back  and  take  my  old  position  at  three 
thousand  dollars  a  year  in  Ottawa  how  gladly  would  I  do  so  ; 
but  a  man,  once  having  come  here,  is  ashamed  to  return 
without  having  made  his  pile,  consequently  I  must  stay  for- 
ever, perhaps,  although  my  dear  old  mother  is  seventy  ana 
praying  to  see  me  once  more." 

Here  he  was  joined  liy  one  of  his  partners,  who.se  face  was 
so  radiant  that  he  said,  "  It  's  easy  to  see  that  he  's  had  a 
letter  from  home."      "  How  did  you  manage  to  get  it  ?  "  I 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last 


3(>3 


inquired,  "  for  yesterday  the  line  before  the  post-office  of 
those  waiting  to  enter  was  so  long  that  I  photographed 
it." — "  Why,  we  come  from    Ottawa,   and   we   're    friends 

of   O 's,   and   we  've   promised   to   go  over   to-morrow 

and   help  assort   the  bags  of  newspapers." — "  Then    lake 

our  names.  Miss  V 's  and  mine,  and   try  and  get  ours 

before  our  steamer  sails,  and  you  '11  be  rewarded  by  some 


WAITING  FOR  THE   MAIL. 


New  York  papers,  if  you  care  to  have  them." — "  Care  ! 
care  for  them  !  Just  think  what  a  long  winter's  night 
means  to  six  boys  in  one  cabin  with  nothing  to  read.  We  '11 
bless  you  all  winter  for  them."  Another  neighbour  now 
appeared,  saying,  "  What  do  you  intend  to  do  with  j'our 
big  tent  ?  " — "  Pack  it,  unless  someone  offers  a  high  price 
for  it.  It  's  worth  at  least  a  thousand  dollars  up  here, 
but  rather  than  pack  it,  we  will  take  eight  hundred  dollars 


364        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

cash  for  it."  "  Very  well,  I  '11  go  and  see  1113'  partner,  as 
there  's  to  be  a  big  boom  in  the  spring  at  Forty  Mile,  where 
there  is  verj'  little  lumber,  and  we  want  to  be  ready  to  open 
a  restaurant  or  something  when  the  first  rush  begins.  We 
have  another  tent  in  view,  and  shall  take  the  cheaper  one." 
I  smiled,  knowing  that  the  largest  tent  in  Dawson  could  be 
put  in  a  small  corner  of  ours. 

Jones  then  arrived,  saying,  "  Miss  V has  just  sent  this 

bag  to  5-ou,  and  says,  will  you  sell  one  of  your  hats,  as  you  are 
'  going  out  '  where  you  can  get  plenty,  an'  the  likes  o'  that, 
and  some  ladies  over  in  town  ain't  got  none  and  wants  to 
have  one  o'  jours."  Five  minutes  after,  my  two  citj-  hats 
were  packed  and  Jones  was  taking  them  down  to  his  canoe. 
Jones  also  told  me  that  the  Columbian  is  not  in  yet,  and 
should  she  come  to-night  she  cannot  leave  before  Monday  or 
Tuesday,  which  is  rather  alarming,  as  yesterday  we  had  the 
first  fro,st  and  the  ice  is  ready  to  form  at  aiu'  moment.  What 
should  we  do  if  shut  in  for  the  winter  ?  Just  then  we  heard 
a  loud  whistle  and  blowing  off  of  steam,  and  a  steamer  pas.sed. 
"What  is  her  name?  She's  flying  the  British  flag."  — 
"  The  Domville,  I  think."—"  No,  it  can't  be  ;  it  must  be 
ours,"  and  down  to  the  bank  I  rushed.  Twilight  was  com- 
ing on,  but  glad  indeed  was  I  to  see  CohcmbiaH  in  big  letters, 
which  means  that  by  this  time  next  week  we  shall  be  well 
on  our  way  towards  home  and  friends  once  more. 

E returned  at  six  after  a  most  unsuccessful  day.     Her 

bath  in  the  Yukon  had  delayed  her  so  that  she  was  too  late 
for  her  appointments.     The  land  office  had  closed,  and  she 

could  not  get  the  receipts  for  our  two  lots.     M was  away, 

so  she  could  not  sign  the  contract  and  get  our  five  hundred 
dollars.  She  had  found  the  streets  too  slippery  and  muddy 
for  words,  and  said  that  she  might  just  as  well  have  remained 
at  home,  adding,  "  Much  as  I  want  to  leave  lest  we  should 
be  shut  in  by  the  ice,  still  it  is  a  lucky  thing  for  us  that  the 
Columbian  cannot  sail  before  Monday  at  three,  as  that  will 
give  us  the  time  to  have  our  legal  papers  drawn  up  and  get 
miners  to  work  our  '  lays.'  "  Jones  chopped  wood,  brought 
water,  cleaned  the  fish,  washed  the  dishes,  and  made  him 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  365 

self  so  lielpful  that  I  forgave  him  for  letting  me  get  the  pail 
of  water  in  the  morning,  and  pretended  to  have  forgotten  it. 
I  also  bound  up  his  finger  when  he  cut  it  during  the  wood- 
chopping.  We  were  all  tired,  so  he  left  at  nine  in  such  a 
rain-storm  that,  feeling  certain  no  one  would  venture  out,  we 
retired  early.  Hardly  were  we  in  bed  before  we  saw  the 
rays  of  a  lantern  through  a  crack  in  the  door  and  heard  a 

loud  knocking,   and  there  was  K ,  who  was  obliged  to 

postpone  his  call  till  the  following  evening. 

Sunday,  September  iSth. 

We  -slept  soundly  until  after  six  when,  by  the  dim  light  of 
the  candle,  I  saw  a  mouse  running  across  my  bed  and  into 
the  blankets.  There  was  no  stopping  then  to  yawn  or  to 
turn  over  for  an  extra  snooze.  Out  of  bed  I  bounded  with 
a  shriek   that  must  have  aroused   everj'   neighbour,  while 

E shouted  with  laughter,  saying,   "  How  can  you  be 

afraid  of  a  dear  little  thing  like  that  ?  It  seems  impossible." 
After  dressing,  on  opening  the  door,  the  first  sight  that  met 
my  eyes  was  the  mountain  opposite  covered  with  snow.  Our 
hearts  sank.  What  will  it  be  ou  the  summit  ?  What  shall 
we  do  ?  We  never  can  cross  with  a  light  snow  hiding  the 
bad  places,  and  not  sufficiently  packed  for  a  sled.  And  we 
both  marvelled  at  our  daring  to  wait  until  so  late  in  the 
season.  The  rain  was  still  pouring  down,  everything  muddy 
and  .slippery,  and  only  a  little  wood  remaining  that  was  fit  to 
burn,  although  man}-  cords  are  stacked  in  one  corner  of  the 
house,  but  they  are  too  green  for  this  year's  use.  Not  a  man 
in  sight  who  could  be  hired.  All  our  kind  neighbours  would 
gladly  work  as  a  favour,  but  this  pride  forbids  our  asking. 

"Jones  says  he  'II  never  cut  another  stick  for  you  nor 
bring  you  a  drop  of  water  unless  you  ask  him  ;  that  you  're 
'  that  haughty  to  him  now  you  treat  him  like  the  dirt  beneath 

your  feet.'  "     At  this  moment  he  entered,  and  E said, 

"We  are  almost  frozen  to  death."  "That  so?  Well,  I 
ain't  goin'  to  have  it  said  that  two  ladies  froze  to  death  while 
John  was  here  to  make  a  fire  for  'em  an'  the  likes  o'  that," 
and  with  these  words  he  took  the  green  wood  and  wielded 


366         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

the  axe  with  such  force  that  he  soon  had  the  stove  filled  with 
shavings  and  small  bits  that  crackled  and  warmed  that 
corner  most  beautifully ;  then  we  had  to  choose  between  two 
evils,  keeping  warm  and  sitting  where  it  was  too  dark  to  read 
or  write,  or  remaining  near  the  door  through  which  came  our 
only  light  and  being  too  cold  to  hold  the  pen. 

Jones  finished  chopping,  eN-ed  the  wood  and  said,  "  Well, 

Miss  V ,  if  I  'm  to  row  you  over  to  town  at  ten  o'clock, 

I  think  there  's  enough  wood  to  'keepvoie  warm  until  then, 
an'  I  'm  glad  to  have  chopped  it  for  yer.  coz  yer  asked  me 
so  perlite  like,"  and  he  seated  himself  on  a  box  and  looked 
at  me  maliciously  as  much  as  to  say,  "  an'  if  you  don't  do 
the  same,  yer  kin  stay  here  an'  freeze  to  death."  I  went 
several  times  to  the  door  to  see  if  there  might  be  a  passer-by 
who  could  be  hired,  but  although  the  rain  had  at  last  ceased 

no  one  was  in  sight.     Finally,  as  E 's  preparations  for 

town  were  almost  completed,  I  humbly  said,  "  I  'm  sorry  to 
trouble  you,  Mr.  Jones,  but  would  you  be  so  kind  as  to  chop 

enough  wood  to  keep  the  fire  until  Miss  V 's  return  ?  " 

"  Certainly,  with  great  pleasure,"  said  John,  as  he  caught 
the  axe  and  swung  it  high  in  air  and  rapidly  packed  the 
wood,  as  one  having  had  years  of  experience. 

"  You  'd  oughter  'a'  seen  Miss  V yesterday  morning 

though,  Mrs.  H ,"  said  Jones  suddenly  ;   "  if  it  'd  been 

you,  you  'd  'a'  drowned  sure  ;  but  she  never  said  a  word  and 
never  shrieked  as  you  'd  'a'  done,  nor  clutched  at  the  canoe 
to  tip  it  over.  She  did'nt  lose  her  head  a  little  bit,  but  when  I 
reached  her,  she  just  kep'  a-holt  o'  my  hand  and  turned  over 
on  her  back  and  floated  without  making  any  fuss  at  all.  And 
then  you  oughter  'a'  seen  the  clever  way  in  which  she  gradu- 
ally worked  one  foot  into  the  canoe  quiet  like,  and  that  too 
with  the  Yukon  thirty  feet  deep  right  where  she  was.  I  did  n't 
know  for  a  minit  what  I  .should  do.  I  knowed  I  could  n't  get 
no  grip  only  holding  her  by  the  hand,  and  that  I  must  get  her 
arms,  so  I  dropped  her  hand  sudden-like  and  caught  her 
right  under  the  arms,  where  I  cud  lift  her  good,  an'  you 
know  she  ain't  no  light  weight,  so  it  shows  how  strong  I  am, 
to  'a'  been  able  to  'ave  saved  her,"  concluded  Jones  proudly. 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  36 


/ 


"  Now  about  them  trout  j'ou  bought  last  night,"  said  he, 
changing  the  subject  ;   "  don't  j'ou  let  no  fellow  fool  j-ou 

again,  Miss  V ,  bj-  calling  that  there  fish  trout.    I  did  n't 

like  to  say  nothin'  about  it  last  night,  'cause  you  was  so 
proud  o'  your  trout,  but  them  's  the  only  fish  on  earth  that 
ain't  got  no  scales,  an'  yer  only  got  to  go  outside  the  door  to 
see  how  many  scales  I  cleaned  off  them  there  fish.  Now 
next  year  when  you  two  ladies  come  up  here,  if  you  can't 
get  no  cook,  an'  the  likes  o'  that,  just  let  John  know,  an' 
he  '11  take  a  lot  o'  lessons,  so  's  to  be  able  to  do  your  cookin' 
for  yer  all  summer.     How  did  you  happen  to  bring  meat 

home  ill  a  newspaper,  Mrs.  H ?"  continued  the  queer 

youth  ;  "  you  who  are  so  particular  about  having  nice  paper 
to  wrap  your  things  up  in." — "  I  asked  the  butcher  if  he 
could  not  put  it  in  hrozi'u  paper  ;  he  looked  at  me  a  moment, 
then  smiled,  and  said  he  thought  he  was  doing  me  a  great 
favour  to  wrap  it  at  all,  as  there  was  so  little  paper  in  town 
that  few  could  obtain  it."  "  Well,  I  guess  there  's  wood 
enough  here  for  all  day,"  said  Jones,  "  I  '11  come  back  an' 
wash  the  dishes,  an'  if  me  an'  you  's  good  friends  to-night, 
an'  there's  not  a  lot  o'  dudes  around,  I  '11  wash  'em  again 
after  dinner  ;  that  is,  if  your  steamer  don't  go  out  to-day." 

"  What  's  this  ?  "  exclaimed  E ,  as  she  raised  a  cover 

from  a  saucepan,  "  and  this  ?  "  raising  another,  "  and  this  ?  " 
looking  at  a  platter  containing  a  white  pyramid.  Meekly  I 
confessed,  "  I  wanted  to  cook  something  before  j'our  return, 
so  thought  I  'd  try  a  risotto.  I  filled  a  saucepan  with  rice, 
covered  the  rice  with  water,  and  while  writing  happened  to 
glance  up  to  find  the  rice  swelling  so  fast  that  the  overflow 
filled  that  first  pan  ;  a  few  moments  later,  it  did  the  same 
thing  again,  and  so  I  had  to  fill  one  dish  after  another  until 
there  was  nothing  left  to  put  the  surplus  in,  and  the  re- 
mainder in  the  bottom  was  cooked  to  death  and  there  was  no 
multitude  to  be  fed,  for  even  the  Siwash  dogs  refused  to  eat 
it."  "  Why,  that 's  just  like  the  miracle  what  I  heard  about 
in  church  one  time  when  I  was  a  kid,"  said  Jones  ;  "  only 

them  was  bread  an'  fishes."     E said  she  had  once  read 

of  someone  's  having  a  similar  rice-cooking  experience,  but 


368        Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

thought  it  a  fable,  never  dreaming  that  anj-one  could  be 
such  a  "  ninin-."  She  begged  me  to  leave  the  culinary  de- 
partment to  her  for  the  remainder  of  our  stay. 

W then  appeared,  saying,  "  Well,  ladies,  I  've  some- 
thing prettj'  to  show  you,"  as  he  carefully  unfolded  a  paper 
and  showed  us  another  lot  of  gold  from  his  claim  which  ad- 
joins ours  on  Bear  Creek.  "  Oh,  how  beautiful  !  Won't  you 
sell  me  just  a  little  of  it  to  take  home  ?" — "  Would  you  say 
it  came  from  your  claim  ?  "  "  Certainh'  not,"  I  replied  in 
righteous  indignation  ;  "  I  have  not  lived  here  long  enough 
to  have  learned  to  tell  Yukon  lies,  and  shall  only  represent 
absolute  facts."  "  Well,  if  I  don't  go  out  on  the  Columbian 
to-morrow  to  sell  my  claim,  I  'II  present  j'ou  with  this,"  re- 
plied W ,  "  because  I  can  go  back  there  and  get  plentj' 

more.  I  saw  a  lady  up  there  yesterday  who  pulled  out  a 
poor  fellow's  stakes  and  put  hers  in,  and  when  I  told  her  he 
might  call  me  for  a  witness,  she  said,  '  Well,  he  had  n't 
oughter  'a'  staked  here  when  he  knew  I  was  a-conn'n'  ;  he 
only  got  two  hours  ahead  o'  me  an'  that  don't  count.'  It 
was  powerful  wet  up  there,  an'  I  had  n't  even  a  tent,  an' 
had  to  sleep  out  in  the  rain." 

E finally  started  for  Dawson  to  get  the  steamer  tickets. 

Sunda}'  or  no  Sunday,  it  had  to  be  done,  as  they  refused  to 

sell  them  before  the  arrival  of  the  boat.     Neighbour  D 

came  to  apply  for  a  "  lay  "  ;  he  talked  of  his  life  up  here  and 
of  the  impossibility  for  those  at  home  to  realise  that  we  are 
all  cooking,  washing  dishes,  "  and  the  likes  o'  that,"  as 
Jones  would  say,  rather  than  engaged  in  panning  out  mil- 
lions. "  If  ever  I  get  back  to  my  wife  again,"  said  he, 
"  I  '11  just  tell  her  that  she  's  the  best  cook  on  earth,  and  I 
know  what  it  means  after  eating  all  the  messes  that  we  boys 
concoct."  George  came  in  to  sa}'  that  fine  reports  are  being 
heard  on  all  sides  from  Bear  Creek,  and  that  we  are  likely  to 
derive  a  good  thing  therefrom,  but  the  trouble  is  that  all  men 
who  own  claims  want  to  go  "  out  "  :  the  men  who  remain 
want  to  "  work  for  wages,"  and  no  one  cares  to  take  a 
"  lay"  until  after  having  prospected  the  mine  and  had  a 
chance  of  finding  the  paj'  streak.     "  Taking  a  lay  "  necessi- 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  369 

tates  three  months  of  hard  work,  building  a  cabin,  digging 
through  ice  and  snow,  and  putting  up  shiice-boxes  for  the 
spring  clean-up,  for  all  of  which  the  owner  paj'S  nothing, 
and  the  "  lay  "  man  runs  the  chance  of  not  making  wages. 

A  sudden  booming  as  of  hundreds  of  rifles.  The  dogs  run 
in  all  directions.  Ivan  comes  and  seeks  protection  at  my 
side.  Bang  !  bang  !  bang  !  I  go  to  the  door  to  di.scover  the 
cause  of  all  this  commotion  in  Dawson  and  see  an  enormous 
flock  of  wild  geese  flying  across  the  town.  Not  one  seems 
to  fall  ;  the}'  are  high  in  air  ;  but  Dawson  covers  a  long  ex- 
tent of  ground,  the  geese  do  not  change  their  course,  and  the 
shots  continue  for  some  time.  "  Don't  believe  thej'  've  hit 
a  single  one,"  calls  out  a  neighbour.  He  joins  me  as  we 
walk  down  to  the  water-front  to  see  the  result,  when  down 
■comes  the  rain  again  and  we  rush  back  to  cover. 

"  It  begins  to  look  as  though  miners'  wrongs  and  griev- 
ances were  to  be  righted,"  he  observed,  "  now  that  O 

has  at  last  appeared.  He  seems  a  pretty  square  sort  o'  man, 
and  has  just  as  much  time  for  a  poor  fellow  as  for  the  most 

important  individual  here.     If  W and  W had  'a' 

stayed  here  much  longer  the}'  'd  'a'  been  murdered,  sure.  I 
know  of  two  or  three  fellows  who  were  a-layin'  for  'em,  and 
read}'  to  swing  for  it,  too.  I  see  the  land  over  here  is  to  be 
surveyed  to-morrow,  and  then  there  '11  be  no  more  trouble 
about  squatters'  rights,  and  we  '11  know  what  we  do  own 
an'  what  we  don't,  an'  there  's  a  big  satisfaction  in  that,  I 
tell  you.  This  is  a  pretty  nice  shack  o'  yours.  What  do 
you  intend  to  do  with  it  ?  Comin'  in  next  year?  That  's 
right  ;  the  boys  '11  be  glad  to  see  you  back  an'  give  yer  a 
hearty  welcome,  too,  coz  you  've  been  powerful  kind  in 
givin'  us  medicines,  lendin'  us  books  and  papers,  an'  the 
like,  an'  tho'  some  of  us  ain't  come  in  an'  been  neighbourly, 
coz  you  've  had  grand  folks  from  Daw.son,  we  've  allers  been 
ready  to  stand  by  you  and  would  'a'  been  on  hand  for  your 
buildin'  bee  if  ever  you  'd  set  a  time  when  you  wanted  us. 
But  you  went  an'  hired  such  a  lot  o'  men,  and  had  a  reg'lar 
overseer,  so  that  we  kinder  felt  like  we  'd  be  in  the  way. 

"  What  you  goiu'  to  do  with  your  mandolin  ?     I  would  n't 


3/0         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

mind  taking  care  o'  it  myself  till  j-ou  come  back.  Dunno 
how  to  play,  but  I  might  learn  long  winter  evenings."  "  No 
one  ever  had  a  better  lot  of  neighbours,"  said  I  ;  "  they  're 
all  making  such  kind  offers.  One  is  willing  to  take  care  of 
my  beautiful  dog,  another  of  my  fur  robe,  still  another  of  my 
zither,  and  even  half  a  dozeu  have  offered  to  live  in  and  pro- 
tect the  house  for  us  during  our  absence,  so  " —  "  Well  ?  " 
said  the  man,  grinning  expectantly  ; — "  so  we  have  talked  it 
over  and  decided  that  we  cannot  impose  upon  such  kindness 
and  good-nature  and  have  appointed  an  agent  who  will  de- 
vote his  entire  time  to  caring  for  our  interests,  as  this  prop- 
erty will  be  valuable  next  year.  Already  every  lot  ou 
the  water-front  has  been  taken,  and  even  on  the  hill  very 
few  bits  of  land  remain,  so  what  will  it  be  next  year,  should 
there  be  another  influx  ?  In  Dawson,  cabins  of  one  and  two 
rooms  rent  for  from  one  hundred  to  five  hundred  dollars  a 
month,  so  a  house  with  four  rooms  and  a  wide  mess-hall 
should  bring  a  handsome  rental,  particularly  as  it  will  soon 
be  too  cold  for  the  hundreds  who  are  now  living  in  tents  to- 
occupy  them  much  longer." 

Mr.  T next  appeared  with  a  beautiful  big  fish  cleaned 

and  prepared  for  cooking.     "  Won't  you  and  Miss  \' 

accept  this  for  3'our  dinner?"  "  How  very  kind  !  Just 
what  we  were  wishing  for,  and  not  a  shop  open  in  Dawson  !  " 
said  I,  as  I  stopped  blowing  the  fire.  "  Let  me  do  it  for 
you,"  said  T ,  depositing  the  fish.  "  Do  you  want  a  big- 
fire  ?  " — "  Just  as  big  a  one  as  the  stove  will  hold,  as  I  wish 
to  boil  water  to  wash  the  dishes." — "  Are  you  going  to  Santa 

Barbara,  Mrs.  H ?  "  — "  I  hope  and  expect  to  go  there." 

— ' '  Won't  you  please  deliver  a  letter  in  person  to  my  dear  old 
mother?  It  would  be  such  a  gratification  for  her  to  see 
someone  who  can  give  her  particulars  impossible  to  write." 
And  upon  receiving  my  promise  to  look  up  the  mother 
immediately  upon  arrival,  and  taking  a  last  look  at  the 
sparkling,  crackling  fire,  he  left  to  attend  to  the  haul  of  hun- 
dreds of  fish  from  his  net,  which  he  intends  to  dry  and  keep 
for  the  winter's  dog-food.  And  thus  is  the  time  frequently 
passed  instead  of  in  the  alluring  search  for  gold  with  pick 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  3/1 

and  shovel.     Next  visitor,  Colonel  O ,  who  said  that  he 

had  come  all  the  way  down  from  Bonanza  to  bid  us  good-bye 
and  asked  if  we  had  finished  all  that  we  had  to  do  before 
starting.  "  Yes,  we  've  given  '  lays  '  on  all  our  claims  ex- 
cept the  Bear  Creek,  and  shall  sign  papers  to-morrow  for 
that."  — "  Bear  Creek  !  why,  that  's  the  coming  El  Dorado  ! 
What  number?" — "No. — ."  —  "Just  in  the  heart  of  the 

gold  region  !     Why  '  Big  A '   has   bought   all   around 

there,  which  shows  what  it  must  be.  Don't  give  the  la}-  to 
any  ordinary  miner.     Let  me  put  my  men  on  both  claims — 

yours  and  MissV 's,  for  thisj'ear'-S — work;  unprospected 

as  they  are,  I  '11  gladlj^  take  an  option  on  them  for  fifteen 
thousand  dollars  each  for  only  half-interest,  and  will  pay  you 
in  the  spring  out  of  my  part  of  the  pannings.  I  can  show 
you  all  sorts  of  references  from  people  whom  you  probably 
know,  and  letters  from  the  syndicate  that  is  backing  me." 
After  some  further  conversation  on  the  subject,  I  promised 

to  talk  it  over  with  E ,  Colonel  O to  come  in  the 

morning  with  papers  drawn  up,  in  case  we  should  both  be 
ready  to  sign. 

Next  visitor  was  Mr.  E ,  of  the  North  American  Trans- 
portation Company,  who  has  been  most  courteous  in  cashing 
checks  for  us.  He  was  anxious  for  me  to  see  his  aunt  in 
New  York,  and  tell  her  something  of  his  life  here,  so  gave 
me  a  little  .sketch  of  his  experiences.  He  "  came  in  "  about 
a  year  ago,  full  of  hopes  and  light  of  pocket,  as  did  many  an- 
other who  had  preceded  him  on  the  road  to  the  land  of  gold. 
Realising  that  fortunes  were  not  to  be  picked  up  by  the  way- 
side nor  found  in  the  first  shovelful  of  earth,  he  had  not 
allowed  false  pride  to  interfere,  but  had  taken  the  first  work 
that  offered  itself,  which  in  this  case  meant  carrying  heavy 
packs  for  twenty  dollars  a  day.  When  one  has  one's  own 
"  grub,"  money  at  that  rate  rolls  up  rapidly,  and  he  soon  had 
sufiicient  to  purchase  a  lot  of  dogs  and  bring  them  to  Daw- 
son, where  he  sold  some  of  them  for  four  and  five  times  what 
they  had  cost,  and  retained  others  for  winter  work. 

He  soon  had  a  few  thousand  dollars  put  aside  and  was 
looking  about  for  an  investment,  when  a  miner  told  him  of  a 


3/2         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

third  interest  to  be  purchased  in  a  fine-looking  claim  from  a 
man  who  was  homesick  and  anxious  to  go  out.  After  long 
and  careful  consideration  the  thousand  dollars  was  paid,  and 
the  miner  sent  out  to  prospect.  He  found  such  rich  pan- 
nings  that  he  covered  the  hole  and  rushed  back  to  try  and 

persuade  Mr.  E to  obtain  another  third,  which  he  shortly 

after  succeeded  in  doing.  The  third  and  last  partner  not 
only  refused  to  be  bought  out,  but  offered  a  large  sum  for 
the  two-thirds,  which  was  most  tempting  to  our  hero.  He 
followed  the  advice  of  an  old  and  experienced  man,  however, 
and  not  only  kept  the  property,  but  sent  workers  out  for  the 
winter.     "  Here  are  some  of  the  nuggets  from  it,"  said  Mr. 

E ;  "  won't  you  select  one  and  accept  it  from  me  to  put 

with  the  collection  j-ou  are  taking  out  ?  "  "  But  if  you  give 
away  nuggets  like  this,  you  will  have  none  left  to  exhibit," 
I  objected.  "It  is  very  seldom  I  meet  one  to  whom  I  care 
to  offer  a  nugget,  and  in  such  a  case  it  is  a  real  pleasure  to 
have  her  do  me  the  honour." 

His  courteous  manner  overruled  my  objection,  and  I 
heartily  thanked  him  for  the  beauty  which  he  chose  for  me. 
"  It  has  not  been  all  smooth  sailing,"  continued  he.  '  Re- 
fore  Captain  H gave  me  a  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the 

North  American  Transportation  Company,  I  was  making  a 
trip  with  three  companions  when  we  lost  not  only  our  boat, 
but  all  our  provisions,  and  were  eight  long  days  with  abso- 
lutely nothing  to  eat — but  you  must  be  tired  of  hearing  me 
talk  of  myself  When  do  you  g6  out  ?  "— "  On  the  Colum- 
bian to-morrow." — "  But  have  n't  you  heard  the  news  ?  She 
has  just  come  in,  and  as  the  ice  has  already  begun  to  form  in 
the  Yukon,  she  will  not  make  another  trip,  but  goes  to  her 
winter  quarters  at  Fort  Selkirk."  "  Oh,  impossible  !  "  I 
cried  in  alarm,  at  the  thought  of  being  shut  in  for  the  winter 
without  proper  stores  and  heavy  clothing.     "  Why,   Miss 

V and  I  have  already  engaged  our  passage."     "  All  I 

know,"  said  Mr.  E ,  "  is  that  a  friend  of  mine  who  was 

going  out  on  her  has  just  had  his  money  refunded. ' '  At  this 
moment  one  of  my  new  neighbours  entered  and  said,  "  Do  \  ou 
know  that  we  are  all  shut  in  for  the  winter  and  cainiot  get 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  2,7 2> 

out,  as  the  Columbian  is  now  going  into  winter  quarters  ?  " 
— ' '  Oh  what  shall  we  do  ?  It  would  be  delightful  if  we  had 
come  with  comforts  and  luxuries,  prepared  to  remain,  but  as 
it  is,  we  have  disposed  of  everything  and  have  not  even  a 
good  stove,  as  this  one  does  not  keep  us  warm  enough  even 
at  this  season." 

Then  came  E ,  looking  the  picture  of  despair.     ' '  Well, 

I  suppose  you  have  heard  the  news  !  We  are  shut  in  for  the 
winter.  The  Columbian  has  made  her  last  trip,  and  now  it 
only  remains  for  us  to  freeze  to  death,  and  I  should  prefer 
blowing   my   brains  out.     I   knew  .something  terrible    was 

going  to  happen.     Why  did  we  wait?"     Von  M and 

Jones,  who  followed,  tried  their  best  to  console  us  by  paint- 
ing the  pleasures  of  a  winter  in  Dawson  in  most  glowing 
colours  ;  but  nothing  could  rouse  us  from  the  fit  of  despair 
into  which  we  had  been  thrown. 

Although  it  was  6  p.m.,  and  I  had  not  dined,  I  persuaded 

Von  M to  row  me  across  to  Dawson  in  search  of  better 

news.  We  went  first  to  the  agent  of  the  Columbian,  who 
said  we  might  go  as  far  as  Fort  Selkirk,  where  we  would 
have  at  least  a  chance  of  being  picked  up  by  some  small 
steamer  and  taken  on  to  Bennett,  but  that  he  could  give  no 
guarantee  that  we  would  not  be  left  at  Selkirk  the  entire 
winter.  He  said,  further,  that  he  was  going  on  the  Colum- 
bian, and  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  assist  us  in  every 
way,  but  thought  it  more  than  likely  that  we  would  run 
great  risks,  and  he  could  not  avoid  the  responsibility  of 
telling  us  so.  From  there  to  the  office  of  the  small  steamer 
Willie  Irving.  Her  agent  thought  she  would  be  able  to 
make  another  trip,  but  she  would  not  be  ready  to  start  for 
several  days  ;  thence  to  the  office  of  the  Flora.  Her  agent 
had  not  yet  returned,  but  I  would  not  go  back  without  some 

encouraging  news  for  E .     We  walked  through  the  Main 

Street,  meeting  many  acquaintances,  some  of  whom  said,  "  It 
is  all  nonsense  worrying  about  ice  in  the  Yukon.  Why,  the 
steamers  can  run  until  October  ist.  The  only  trouble  with 
the  Columbian  is  that  she  has  received  a  large  contract  for  a 
cargo  of  cattle,  which  will  pay  her  much  better  than  taking 


374         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

the  one  hundred  and  fifty  passengers,  and  so  she  gives  them 
the  '  go-b}'.'  " 

This  was  encouraging,  but  not  sufficiently  so,  and  we 
wandered  on  until,  as  good  luck  would  have  it,  we  came  face 

to  face  with  Mr.  F ,  the  courteous  manager  of  whom  we 

were  in  search,  and  received  from  him  the  glad  tidings  that 
the  Flora  would  leave  on  Tuesday  or  Wednesday  and  that, 
although  her  acconnnodations  could  not  compare  with  those 
on  the  Columbian,  the  best  cabin  on  board  should  be  reserved 
for  us.     I  was  in  a  great  hurr_v  to  take  back  this  good  news, 

but  Von  M had  a  positive  engagement  at  eight,  so  Mr. 

F 's  brother  ver}'  kindly  offered  to  row  me  back.     "  Have 

you  crossed  the  river  often  ?  "  I  asked,  with  some  anxiety. 
"  Oh,  no  !  "  he  answered  ;   "  I  'm  general!}'  in  a  great  funk 

on  the  water,  but  I  '11  do  my  best."     Von  M saw  my 

reluctance  to  accept  the  services  of  one  who  made  such  a 
confession,  and  laughed  as  he  said,  "  Don't  you  worry,  Mrs. 

H ,  he  '11  take  you  over  all  right  ;  he  's  only  trying  to 

tease  you."  Von  M pushed  off  the  frail  canoe  and  de- 
parted with  a  bon  voyage.     My  heart  was  in  nu-  mouth,  as  I 

remembered  that  E had  just  had  another  narrow  escape, 

which  I  have  failed  to  record. 

A  steamer  coming  in  had  cut  adrift  several  of  the  rafts  that 
line  the  water-front,  and  they  had  done  much  damage  to  the 
small  craft ;  among  other  things  had  stove  a  hole  in  Jones's 
canoe  just  above  the  water-line,  which  he  had  not  noticed 
until  half-wa}-  across  the  Yukon,  and  was  just  entering  the 
strong  eddy.  Had  I  been  the  passenger  he  would  have  said 
nothing  and  trusted  to  luck  to  my  remaining  motionless,  but 

knowing  E to  be  so  cool  and  collected,  and  with  such 

marvellous  presence  of  mind  he  said  quietly,  "  Your  life  de- 
pends upon  your  not  moving  ;  j'ou  must  scarcely  breathe,  as 
the  least  tip  of  the  canoe  will  cause  the  water  to  rush  through 
the  hole  and  we  shall  be  swamped  and  drowned  before  aid 

can  reach  us."     Needless  to  say  E followed  in.structions 

to  the  letter,  although  she  saw  Jones's  face  blanch  with  ter- 
ror as  he  crossed  the  dangerous  current,  and  she  breathed  a 
sigh  of  relief  when  he  said,  "  We  were  pretty  nigh  death  a 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  375 

few  moments  ago  and  it  was  only  your  courage  what  saved 
us." 

I  bore  all  this  in  mind  as  F started  out  into  the  dark- 
ness and  towards  the  rapid  current.  "  You  must  row  up 
against  it  until  you  near  the  opposite  shore  and  then  float 
down  with  it,"  I  meekly  suggested.     "  Is  this  far  enough 

up?"  said  F ,  with  strong,  manly  stroke.     "You  row 

as  though  accustomed  to  the  oar  and  are  probably  laughing 
ill  your  sleeve  at  me,  still  I  'm  such  a  coward  that  I  'm  glad 
you  gave  me  an  opportunity  for  begging  you  to  row  up- 
stream,  as  I  've  seen  many  boats  swept  down  en  route  to 

Circle  City."     As  we  landed,    F said  he  must  hurry 

back,  then  asked  again  how  far  up-stream  he  must  row  be- 
fore attempting  to  cross  ?  There  was  that  in  his  tone  which 
made  me  quite  certain  that  he  was  making  game  of  me,  so  I 

was  not  at  all  surprised  when  Von  M returned  at  nine 

o'clock  and  said,  "  F was  delighted  at  fooling  you  so, 

and  told  me  all  about  it.  Why  he  's  one  of  the  best  oarsmen 
of  London.     Could  n't  j'ou  tell  that  by  his  stroke  ?     Since 

Mrs.  H has  told  you  that  you  '11  not  be  troubled  by  the 

ice  but  can  get  out  easily  on  the  Flora,  I  suppose  you  're  all 

right  now,  Miss  V ?"     "  No,  I 'm  not,"  said  E ;  "I 

don't  like  going  in  a  tiny  little  cabin  on  the  Flora,  where 
there  's  scarcely  room  to  move,  no  bedding  and  no  comforts, 
when  I  had  expected  splendid  accommodations  on  the  Co- 
lumbian."'    At  this  we  all  taxed  poor  E with  being  most 

ungrateful,  forgetting  how  her  nerves  had  been  tried  b_v  two 
narrow  escapes  from  death  in  the  same  week.  Jones  washed 
the  dishes,  while  "\^on  M and  K assisted  us  in  copy- 
ing the  lists  of  the  many  articles  left  at  the  commission 
merchant's. 

Monday,  September  19th. 

E 's  turn  to  remain  at  home  and  pack;  mine  to  attend 

to  the  errands,  so  she  coaxed  Jones  to  row  me  across  and 
bring  back  several  articles  which  she  needed  at  once. 
Scarce]}'  were  we  well  out  in  the  stream  when  he  unbosomed 
himself.     "  Well,  I  suppose  you  're  satisfied  with  the  way  in 


3/6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

which  3'ou  and  Miss  V are  leaving  your  affairs,  but  I 

kill  tell  you,  you  '11  never  git  nothin'  out  o'  them,  from  thein 
there  dudes.  Now  me  and  A — —  would  'a'  taken  charge 
an'  'a'  done  everything  an'  the  likes  o'  that,  but  when  I 
found  you  was  a-askin'  them  dudes,  then  I  just  dropped  out, 

an'  told  A to,  too.     An'  if  you  give  them  there  claims 

to  Colonel   Q ,   you   '11  never  get  nothin'  out  o'  them 

neither.  He  's  windy,  that 's  what  be  is  ;  he  kin  do  a  lot  o' 
talkin'  and  the  likes  o'  that,  but  what  kin  he  do  ?  But 
them  's  the  fellows  what  takes  with  women,"  and  in  this 
strain  he  continued  until  we  reached  the  opposite  shore. 

After  giving  Jones  the  articles  desired  by  E ,  I  stopped 

at  the  Columbian  oiBce  to  give  up  our  cabins  ;  then  went  to 

Mr.  W 's,  where  I  paid  the  required  deposit  for  a  lot  for 

E and  me. 

On  leaving  West  Dawson  the  sun  was  shining  brilliantly, 
and  the  canar}'  was  singing  with  a  heart  of  joj^  at  the  un- 
usual sight,  but  an  hour  later  the  rain  was  coming  down 
again  in  torrents,  the  streets  were  ankle-deep  in  mud,  and 
too  slippery  for  easy  walking.  A  man  stopped  nie  and  said, 
"  Lady,  will  you  do  me  a  favour  ?  My  sister-in-law  has  just 
died  of  typhoid  fever.  I  want  to  close  my  shop  and  put  a 
notice  on  the  door,  but  cannot  write."  So  down  I  sat  on  a 
box  just  inside  the  door  of  his  shop  and  wrote  down  as  he 
dictated  in  broken  tones,  "  Closed  for  to-day.  Death  in  the 
family."  As  I  heard  the  sounds  of  grief  from  the  other  side 
of  the  board  wall  I  inquired  if  I  could  be  of  assistance. 
"  No,  lady,  thank  you  kindly ;  it 's  all  over  now."    I  met  Mr. 

A ,  who  said,  "  I  've  tried  many  times  to  cross  the  river 

to  see  3'ou  but  have  never  been  able  to  hire  a  boat,  and  then 
as  time  passed  I  was  ashamed  to  go  lest  you  might  not  re- 
ceive me  for  being  so  rude."     Had  a  pleasant  chat  with 

"  Arizona  Charlie,"  who  inquired,  as  they  all  do,  if  E 

and  I  intend  to  spend  the  winter  here.     Went  to  the  Alaska 

Commercial  Company,  where  Mr.  S told  me  he  had  ju.st 

sold  my  one  hundred  and  thirty-five  dollar  robe  for  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty-five  dollars.  Should  like  to  have  had  more, 
but  ten  dollars  was  little  enough  to  pa_v  for  the  comfort  it 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last 


0/  / 


has  given  me  during  my  month  of  ownership.  All  sums  re- 
ceived in  gold  dust  this  morning,  and  it  is  heavy  to  carry. 

Colonel  K invited  nie  to  his  oi^ce,  where  he  and  Mr. 

R were  most  kind  in  offering  to  look  after  our  affairs 

during  my  ab.sence,  and  I  left  promising  to  go  with  E 

and  lunch  with  them  the  following  day.      R followed  to 

ask  if  I  would  take  a  letter  to  his  wife.  ' '  I  don't  like  to  give 
it  to  you,  as  I  have  no  postage  stamps,"  said  the  fellow,  who 
had  shown  himself  so  generous  and  hospitable. — "  Nonsense! 
let  me  have  it."  "And  you  won't  forget  it?"  he  said, 
handing  it  reluctantl}',  but  in  a  manner  with  which  I  fully 
sympathised,  as  so  many  times  I  have  had  misgivings  as  to 
the  memor}-  of  man. 

I  had  been  in  almost  every  shop  in  town  for  butter,  but 
there  was  a  corner  in  it,  and  none  was  to  be  had  except  at 
exorbitant  rates.  One  thing  may  be  said  to  the  credit  of'the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company,  that  it  keeps  on  the  even  tenor 
of  its  way,  and,  corner  or  no  corner,  prices  remain  the  same. 
I  asked  for  butter  there — none  to  be  had.  Knowing  that  a 
plentiful  supplj'  of  everything  is  always  reserved  for  the  em- 
ployees of  the  company,  I  appealed  to  Mr.  H .  "  Could  n't 

you  order  j'our  clerk  to  sell  me  just  one  two-pound  tin  of 

butter  ?  "     "  It  's  against  the  rules,  Mrs.  H ,"  said  this 

most  obliging  of  men,  "  but  if  you  are  in  great  need  of  it,  it 
will  have  to  be  done." — "  Need  of  it  !  why  we  even  ate  toast 
without  butter  for  breakfast  this  morning."  Immediately 
the  order  was  given,  and  a  two-pound  tin  of  the  precious 
article  was  speedily  handed  to  me  at  the  old  price  of  one 
dollar  a  pound,  which  obtained  before  the  corner. 

With  one  exception  all  our  labourers  had  been  paid  for 
assistance  in  building  our  house.     That  exception  was  "  Si  " 

S ,  who  had  been  sent  to  the  hospital.     I  had  hoped  to 

find  time  to  visit  him,  and  take  him  the  money  myself,  but 
suddenly  came  face  to  face  with  him.  "  Why,  Si,  what  are 
you  doing  out  in  such  a  storm  ?  "  said  I  to  the  man,  who 
looked  too  faint  to  walk  and  was  as  yellow  as  a  piece  of 
parchment.  "  Come  into  this  shop  and  get  your  money  and 
go  straight  back  to  the  hospital." — "  Oh,  I  left  there  this 


37^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

morning  and  don't  want  to  go  back." — "  Why  not  ?  Are  n't 
the  Sisters  kind  to  you  ?  They  are  always  so  good  and  pa- 
tient." "  Yes,  they  're  very  kind,  but  there  are  so  many 
sick  men  there  that  it  's  depressing  and  I  'm  going  home  to 
my  nice  cabin."  "  Go  at  once,  then,"  said  I,  "  and  don't 
try  walking  until  the  rain  ceases  and  the  sun  shines  again." 
"  Si  "  left,  thanking  me,  but  I  met  him  at  least  a  dozen 
times  during  the  remainder  of  m_v  daj'  in  town,  and  shall  ex- 
pect to  hear  not  only  of  his  having  a  relapse,  but  of  his  death. 
The  unhealthfuhiess  of  Dawson  is  not  responsible  for  all  the 
deaths  ;  the  wilfulness  and  imprudence  of  men  must  also  be 
taken  into  account. 

Stopped  to  get  the  heaviest,  warmest  mittens  in  town  for 

E and  forme,  as  we  are  told  that  we  shall  certainly  need 

them  in  going  over  the  Pass.  Was  passing  the  Cohnnbian 
as  the  last  whistle  blew  and  saw  a  lot  of  fellows  leave  the 
steamer.     They  had  been  on  board  to  see  us  off  and  were 

amused  to  find  me  talking  quietly  with  Dr.  C on  .shore. 

"  When  do  you  leave,  Mrs.  H ?  "  said  they. — "  On  the 

F!ora  ;  am  j ust  going  to  her  office  to  get  my  tickets, ' '  so  they 
accompanied  me.  The  second-best  cabin  was  reserved  for 
E and  for  me,  as  the  first  best  is  taken  by  the  man- 
ager and  wife.  Back  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
to  collect  my  parcels  and  then  to  wait  for  a  neighbour  oblig- 
ing enough  to  give  me  a  "  lift  "  over.     K and  Dr.  C 

were  both  waiting  for  the  same  kindly  person  to  turn  up. 

M came  along.     "  Well  met,  Mrs.  H .     I  want  to 

go  over  to  say  good-bye  to  3'ou  and  Miss  V .     May  I  go 

in  your   boat?" — "You  certainly  should  if  I   had  one." 

Shortl}^  after  Colonel  O and  a  friend  approached  and 

offered  to  take  me  across.     "  May  M come  if  he  gives  a 

hand  with  an  oar?  " — "  Of  course,  and  without,"  so  off  we 
went  down  the  muddy  banks,  slipping,  sliding,  sinking, 
until  we  reached  the  boat,  which  contained  so  much  water 
that  I  drew  back  in  alarm.  "  Widow  of  a  naval  officer  and 
afraid  of  the  water  !  "  the}^  laughed.  "Naval  officers  are 
those  who  really  know  the  dangers  of  the  deep,"  I  replied. 
As  we  landed  the  Colonel  got  back  in  the  boat  and  pulled 


In  the  New  Home  at  Last  379 

out  again.  "  Do  you  mean  to  sa_v  that  you  are  not  going-  to 
land,  and  that  you  pulled  all  the  way  across  just  to  bring  me 
home  ?  " — "  Sure  !  I  heard  that  you  were  waiting  for  a  lift 
and  rushed  to  the  rescue,  glad  to  be  the  first  one,"  and  the 
gallant  Colonel  was  out  of  hearing  before  he  could  receive 
my  heartfelt  thanks. 

E had  finished  packing,  and  was  engaged  in  prepara- 
tions for  dinner,  but  gladly  welcomed  my  addition  of  moose 
steak,  fish,  jam,  bread,  etc.  I  triumphantly  showed  her  three 
loaves  of  bread  "  for  fifty  cents."  She  held  them  up  laugh- 
ingly, and  said,  "  Look  at  Mrs.  H 's  bargain  !     It  takes 

all  three   to   make   one   ordinary-sized   loaf."       M ,    as 

usual,  prepared  his  pan  of  delicious  muffins.     After  dinner 

E ,  who  was  anxious  to  see  the  advertisements  which 

Von  M was  throwing  from  our  magic  lantern  on  four 

sheets  sewed  together  and  hung  in  the  middle  of  the  road 
high  in  air,  went  across  the  river  with  Jones  to  sit  in  a  near- 
by shop.  I  had  my  first  uninterrupted  moment  for  letter- 
writing,  and  was  making  the  pen  fly  when  there  was  a  rap 
at  the  door  and  two  new  neighbours  entered,  carrying  their 
lanterns  and  doffing  their  cowboy  hats.  The  evening  passed 
quickly,  listening  to  the  stories,  both  exciting  and  entertain- 
ing, of  their  life  on  the  trail. 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  how  manj'  '  true  friends '  we  miners 
have  when  some  reporter  writes  home  that  we  have  struck 

it  rich  ?  "  inquired  J .     "  Here  is  one  of  the  letters  that 

was  sent  to  me  :   '  Dear  Friend  i  may  C2\\  you  that  may  i  not 

I  have  been  Readding  all  about  you  in  the Herald  and 

thought  i  would  write  to  you,  as  you  have  been  in  the  Gold 
Feelds  and  aught  to  be  able  to  know  all  about  the  place  by 
this  time.  Well  i  want  to  come  out  there  and  see  if  i  kin 
git  a  chance  to  find  anny  Gold  coz  i  am  just  tired  of  working 
all  the  time  for  nothing  i  have  been  working  in  the  Restau- 
rant for  three  years  and  am  sick  and  tired  of  it,  so  I  want  a 
change,  i  am  all  alone  in  the  world  and  have  no  one  to  say 
that  i  cannot  go  where  i  wish  so  will  j'ou  please  be  kind 
enough  to  write  to  me  and  tell  me  all  about  the  plaice  and 
how  much  it  will  take  to  git  there  and  what  will  be  the  best 


38o 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


way  to  git  there,  and  I  will  be  j'our  Friend  fer  Life.  Well 
you  will  think  that  i  am  verr}-  bold  to  write  to  you,  a  strainger 
but  i  don't  think  that  i  am  a  strainger  as  we  were  both  born 
in  the  U.  S.  and  that  is  enough  for  me  to  be  your  Friend  for 
Life  and  a  good  Friend  at  that     So  will  you  write  to  me  in 

far  away and  tell  me  all  the  hardships  of  the  country 

and  may  the  Blessing  of  God  be  with  you  forever  more 
Hopeing  3'ou  will  answer  this  i  remain    your  true   Friend 

Nellie  J .     P.S.     I  hope  you  will  git  this  letter  all  right. 

Good-bye.'  " 


CHAPTER   XXVII 


A   SERIES   OF    DISAPPOINTMENTS 

Tuesday,  September  2otb. 

ON  opening  the  door,  I  was  horrified  at  the  sight  of  ice 
and  looked  anxiously  at  the  river,  inwardly  thanking' 
the  L,ord  that  the  stream  was  still  flowing.     No  sign  of  our 

steamer,  however,  which  is  beginning  to  be  overdue.     E 

called  out,  "  Any  sign  of  the  Flora?  "  and  groaned  at  my 
reply  in  the  negative.  "  We  shall  certainly  be  snowed  and 
frozen  in,"  sighed  she.  "  If  we  were  only  safely  at  home 
again !  We  shall  never  be  able  to  get  out  this  winter.  Why 
does  n't  the  steamer  come  ?  "  We  spent  the  morning  pack- 
ing, and  were  quite  ready  at  twelve,  when  Mr.  Jones  came 

to  row  us  across  to  Colonel  K 's  for  luncheon.     It  was 

most  refreshing  to  see  a  house  with  carpels,  windows,  cur- 
tains, beds,  easy  chairs — even  stairs  to  a  second  story,  where 
we  went  to  lay  aside  our  wraps.  Life  in  the  Yukon  would 
be  delightful  could  one  live  in  such  luxury,  but  when  small 
windows  with  four  tiny  panes  of  glass  cost  from  seventeen 
to  fifty  dollars  each,  an  ordinary  broom  between  ten  and 
twenty,  but  nearer  the  latter  price  than  the  former,  a  tub 
and  wash-board  such  rarities  that  there  is  only  one  in  all 
West  Dawson,  and  the  happ}-  possessor  has  so  many  friends 
that  he  is  obliged  to  lend  them  on  certain  days  at  fixed 
intervals — then  people  become  accustomed  to  doing  without 
all  luxuries,  many  comforts,  and  even  necessities.  The 
luncheon  of  "  human  potatoes,"  and  real  underdone  roast 
beef  was  delicious,  and  we  asked  permission  to  go  into  the 
kitchen  to  see  a  real  stove  once  more,  instead  of  the  small 

381 


o 


82         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Yukon  makeshift.     Colonel  K had  invited  to  meet  us 

our  fellow-passenger  Mr.  R ,  and  a  Dr.  R ,  who  has 

been  attending  a  poor  young  girl  who  came  here  on  our 
steamer  expecting  to  make  her  fortune  as  trained  nurse,  as 
she  had  certificates  from  three  different  countries.  She  had, 
however,  immediately  fallen  a  victim  to  that  dread  disease, 
typhoid,   which  is  creating  such  havoc  here,  and  Colonel 

K and  Mr.  R have  combined  with  Dr.  R in  their 

efforts  to  care  for  this  poor,  homeless  wanderer.  The  Doctor 
offered  his  cabin  and  treatment  free,  the  others  paying  for 
nurse  and  all  the  expenses  incurred,  not  only  because  she 
had  come  here  in  the  care  of  the  Ala.ska  Commercial  Com- 
pany,   but   because   of  their   great,    warm,    tender    hearts. 

During   luncheon  Colonel   K made   many  inquiries 

in  regard  to  our  staj'  in  West  Dawson.  When  he  foutid  that 
our  effects  were  divided  between  so  many  different  agents, 
his  kind  heart  finally  dictated  the  offer  for  which  we  had 
been  longing, — that  of  accepting  the  power  of  attorney  for  us, 
of  taking  general  supervision,  and  having  our  different  agents- 
report  weekly  to  him,  — he  to  receive  all  moneys  and  keep  the 
Alaska  Commercial  Company  in  San  Francisco  informed  of 

our  credit  balance.     R shook  his  head,  saying,  "  he  is 

simply  killing  himself  now  with  all  the  work  he  has  taken 
upon  his  shoulders  ;  everyone  who  leaves  the  country  begs 
him  to  assume  power  of  attorney  until  I  am  alvvaj\s  watching 
for  the  last  straw."  Here  Colonel  K interrupted,  say- 
ing, "  But  these  ladies  have  a  very  valuable  cargo  which,  if 
well  managed,  should  yield  them  a  handsome  profit,  and 
someone  ought  to  be  at  the  head  to  take  reports  from  their 
agents.  Next  year,  if  they  take  my  advice,  they  will  only 
bring  in  the  money — nothing  else — which  can  be  so  easily 
invested  either  in  claims  that  pay  five  hundred  per  cent.,  or 
in  lending  money  at  ten  per  cent,  a  month." 

As  we  finished  luncheon  word  came  by  telephone  (there 
are  a  few  in  Dawson)  that  our  steamer  Flora  was  on  a  sand- 
bar and  that  a  drop  of  ten  degrees  in  the  mercury  would 
freeze  the  river  and  arrest  all  further  navigation."  "  Is 
there   no  possible  way  of  getting  out,    then?"    we   cried. 


A  Series  of  Disappointments  3S3 

"  Yes,"  replied  Colonel  K ,  "  the  Domville  sails  iu  an 

hour,  and  I  advise  j-ou  to  tr\-  and  catch  her,  as  it  may  be  )-our 
last  chance.  I  can  let  you  have  a  boat  and  men  to  go 
across  and  get  all  your  luggage."  We  hastily  decided  that  I 
should  go  at  once  on  board  the  Do^nville,  see  the  purser,  look 
at  a  cabin,  and  find  out  the  latest  possible  moment  for  sail- 
ing, thence  to  the  steamship  office  to  pay  for  tickets,  while 

E purchased  eatables  and  a  few  necessary  things  for  the 

trip,  and  by  that  time  the  boat  and  men  would  be  ready  to 
take  us  over  for  our  luggage.  We  met  M taking  un- 
usually long  strides,  and  he  shouted,  "  Yeze  had  better  hurry 
and  get  out  by  the  Domville ;  the  Flora  's  on  a  sand-bar." 

On  board  I  dashed,  with  Mr.  R helping  me  across  a 

gangplank  .so  long  and  so  narrow  that  I  should  never  have 
dared  attempt  to  walk  it  except  under  such  excitement,  and 
ran  up  the  steps  to  the  purser's  office.  A  crowd  thronged 
around  the  door,  but,  with  the  usual  deference  shown  to 
women  by  the  rough  diamonds  who  handle  pick  and  shovel 
ill  Alaska,  way  was  made  for  me.  The  purser  replied  in 
answer  to  my  question,  "  Nothing  can  be  had  except  at  the 
office."  The  ship  was  so  terribly  crowded  that  there  was 
scarcely  .standing  room.     Off  to  the  office  we  rushed,  I,  far 

ahead,  turned  to  see  if  Mr.  R had  been  lost.     "  I  'm 

following,"  he  cried.  "  Your  excitement  means  single 
file  !  "  The  office  was  not  only  packed  to  repletion,  but 
there  was  also  a  long  line  of  men  waiting  in  the  streets, 
hoping  for  the  best.     As  I  approached  the  de.sk,  the  clerk 

said,  "  Give  A M and  his  partner  two  bunks  in  the 

six-roomed  cabin."  The  Klondike  King,  who  could  have 
chartered  a  thousand  .such  steamers !  I  first  asked  for  a  cabin 
for  two.  "  Cabin  !  why,  my  dear  madam,  there  is  not  even 
a  berth  !  The  men  who  are  now  buying  tickets  are  to  sleep 
on  floors,  tables,  or  anywhere  else." — "When  will  the 
Willie  Irving  go?" — "Thursday,  if  she  gets  in  on  time." 

— "  Then  put  Miss  V and  me  down  for  a  cabin  on  her, 

please." — "  There  are  no  cabins,  but  we  can  curtain  off  a 
place  for  you." — "  Anything — rather  than  be  frozen  in." 

I  then  went  in  search  of  E ,  and  we  gazed  at  each  other 


384         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

in  despair,  which  became  deeper  as  we  saw  ihe  Domvillc 
push  out  on  her  homeward  trip.  Kind  friends  insisted  upon 
our  remaining  over  for  dinner  in  order  to  try  and  cheer  our 
drooping  spirits.  After  doing  man}-  commi.ssions  and  .spend- 
ing an  hour  with  Mrs.  T ,  I  went  back  to  the  Alaska 

Commercial  Company,  where  I  met  "  Arizona  Charlie." 
"  So  you  did  not  get  off?  But  don't  worry,  there  will  be 
several  more  chances  yet,  and  even  if  you  should  be  frozen 
in,  you  won't  find  it  so  bad."'  "  What  is  the  matter  with 
j'our  show  ?  "  I  asked  ;  "  it  has  not  been  running  for  some 
time." — "  No,  we  have  a  contract  for  four  months,  but  can- 
not fulfil  it  as  we  can  get  no  86°  gasoline,  and  we  had  such 
an  accident  trying  another  kind  that  the  theatre  people  won't 
lei  us  exhibit  again  until  the  electric-light  plant  is  ready." 

We  were  soon  met  by  Colonel  K ,  Mr.  McF ,  Cap- 
tain B ,  and  Mr.  R ,  who  gave  us  a  most  charming 

dinner  at  the  Fairview  Hotel.     At  a  table  near  us  sat  our 

old  friend  A ,  dining  alone.     Next  to  us  were  some  very 

nice  California  "  boys,"  and  one  or  two  others  of  the  Alaska 
Commercial  Company.  As  the  mandolin  and  guitar  gave  us 
the  strains  of  an  old  familiar  song,  the  "  boj's  "  took  up  the 
chorus,  which  was  so  well  sung  and  so  inspiring  that  we 
could  not  refrain  from  joining  in  also.  We  were  invited  to 
go  to  the  theatre  after  the  dinner,  but  thought  of  poor  Jones 

waiting  to  row  us  back  and  so  went  to  Mrs.  T 's,  where 

he  had  promised  to  meet  us.  Her  rooms  are  over  the  big 
saloon  of  C— — -,  who,  although  he  runs  bar  and  gambling 
tables,  is  one  of  the  biggest-hearted  men  in  town. 

We  found  our  boatman  awaiting  us,  but  looking  very 
serious  as  he  said,  "  It  's  the  blackest  night  we  've  ever 
had  ;  there  's  a  strong  wind  blowing,  an'  it  's  dangerous  to 
cross  the  river,  but  I  'm  ready  to  row  you  over  if  you  're 

willin'  to  take  the  risk."     Mrs.  T interposed,  saying, 

"  I  would  n't  cross  to-night  for  a  thousand  dollars  down  ; 

one  of  you  could  take  my  room."     Here  C entered,  and, 

hearing  the  discussion,  said,  "  It  's  too  big  a  risk  ;  you  take 
your  lives  in  your  hand,  and  could  go  to  the  bottom  without 
anyone's  being  able  to  find  your  boat,  even,  in  this  darkness. 


A  Series  of  Disappointments         385 

Take  in\-  room,  and  I  '11  wrap  up  in  blankets  and  sleep  on 
the  floor,  just  as  I  've  done  for  years  previous  to  putting  up 
this  building,"  and,  in  spite  of  all  our  protests,  orders  were 
given,  his  nice  big  room  prepared  for  us,  and  we  were  dulj- 
installed.  To  think  of  it!  A  four-poster,  regular  mattress, 
sheets,  pillows,  and  pillow-cases.  How  curious  it  all  seemed, 
after  having  rolled  up  in  furs  and  blankets  for  two  months  ! 
We  could  see  through  the  cracks  in  the  floor,  however,  down 
into  the  barroom  below,  and  could  hear  the  gamblers  calling 
at  the  roulette-table,  red  or  black,  triumphantlj-  or  despair- 
iugl}^  as  they  won  or  lost. 

Wednesday,  September  21st. 

We  were  up  and  dressed  before  nine  o'clock,  and  went  to 

thank  Mrs.  T and  say  good-bye,  but  saw  through  the 

crack  in  her  board  door  that  she  was  still  soundly  sleeping. 
We  went  to  the  Alaska  Commercial  Compan}',  where  we 

soon  signed  the  papers  giving  to  Colonel  K power  of 

attorney  for  us,  purcha.sed  some  heavy  woollen  hose,  and 
then  went  back  to  have  breakfast  under  our  own  roof  Be- 
fore starting,  we  met  C ,  who  reproached  us  for  having 

left  so  early,  as  he  had  ordered  breakfast  sent  to  our  room, 
only  to  find  that  we  had  gone.  We  stopped  at  the  grocer's 
to  make  some  purchases  and  learned  that  our  second  box  of 
drugs  had  arrived  by  the  Ridcout  with  the  others,  but  that  it 
had  been  stored  in  another  warehouse  from  which  he  had  just 
received  it.  This  careless  mode  of  delivering  goods  makes 
one  feel  a  strong  desire  to  intrust  one's  valuables  only  to  the 
Ala.ska  Connnercial  Company  or  North  American  Trans- 
poitation  Company. 

Ivan,  who  had  been  a  solitar}-  prisoner  during  our  absence 
greeted  us  with  wild  bounds  of  joy.  Our  house  seemed  like 
a  barn  after  the  civilisation  on  the  other  side.     We  soon  had 

a  nice  breakfast  of  chops,  toast,  and  potatoes,  and  then  E 

went  up  the  hill  with  Jones,  he  carrying  boards  and  logs, 
she,  nails  and  a  hammer,  with  which  to  build  a  cache  and 
get  it  finished  before  the  surveyor  should  arrive  to  survey 
the  land.  Before  night  the  cache  was  finished  and  marked 
with  E 's  name,  as  being  paid  for  to  the  Lumber  and 


386         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Land  Commissioner.  During  their  absence,  "  Si  "  S ar- 
rived to  inquire  if  we  had  received  certain  logs  and,  if  so,  to 
get  money  for  the  same  ;  there  were  eleven  of  them  at  a  dol- 
lar apiece,  for  which  he  prompt!}^  received  payment  and  went 
off  happy,  looking  as  though  the  rain-storm  had  rather  bene- 
fited him  than  otherwise,  and  as  though  he  had  no  further 
need  of  hospitals.  Next  came  mj'  "  long-haired  labourer  " 
to  know  when  he  should  take  our  luggage  across  the  river, 
as  he  could  not  find  out  about  our  steamer. 

E returned  from  Dawson  (whither  she  had  gone  again 

to  see  about  the  possibilities  of  "  getting  out")  in  a  most 
excited  state.  "  Neither  the  ]Villie  Irving  nor  the  Flora  is 
in  yet,  and  there  is  no  news  of  them,  so  I  went  on  board  the 

new  steamer  of  M and  S ,  the  Clara,  which  they  will 

send  up  the  river  to-morrow.  They  have  offered  us  the  best 
cabins  on  board  if  we  decide  to-night  that  we  will  go  with 
them,  but  we  must  let  them  know  at  once,  as  everyone  who 
wants  to  go  out  is  frightened,  and  their  office  is  crowded  with 

applicants.     Even  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F do  not  dare  to  wait 

for  their  own  steamer,  the  Flora.     I  stopped  to  consult  with 

Colonel  K ,  and  he  said,  '  Go  by  all  means,  if  3^ou  want  to- 

get  out.  If  you  want  to  stay  all  winter,  we  will  give  you  the 
most  charming  one  j-ou  have  ever  had,  but  if  you  are  deter- 
mined to  run  for  home  this  may  be  your  last  chance,'  and  he 

wrote  you  this  note,"  added  E ,  as  she  handed  it  to  me. 

It  read,  "  Mrs.  H ,  Present.     Madam  :     '  You  put  ! '  and 

thereby   accept    the    advice   of  j-ours   without   a   struggle, 

O.  B.  K ■." — "  We  must  hurry  and  have  dinner,  so  I  can 

go  back  and  tell  M of  our  decision."    "  Oh,  don't  go  back 

to-night,  E ;  it  is  darker  than  last  night,  and  the  cabin 

will  surely  be  reserved  until  morning." — "  No,  M said 

I  must  come  myself  or  else  we  could  not  have  it  ;  he  has 
promi-sed  me  the  whole  ship,  and  he  means  what  he  says." 
"  Why,  she  's  washed  everj^  dish,"  shouted  Jones,  who  had 

rowed  E home  ;  "  would  you  believe  it  !  and  when  she 

first  cum  here  .she  could  n't  do  nothing.  She  'llknow  how 
to  work  well  foreninst  the  time  that  she  gets  through  with 
this  country." 


A  Series  of  Disappointments         3^7 

Just  as  we  were  dining,  who  should  enter  but  our  former 
Jack-of-all-trades,  looking  as  though  he  had  tramped  many 
a  mile.  His  beard  had  grown.  He  said  he  had  been  chop- 
ping trees  where  fire  had  been  before  him  and  blackened 
trunks  and  boughs,  so  that  he  felt  too  unclean  for  the 
presence  of  ladies,  but  could  go  no  farther.     "  Shall  I  ask 

him  to  sit  down  and  eat  with  us  ?  "  said  E in  French. 

"  it  is  inhuman  not  to  do  so."  Isaacs  understood  French, 
and  looked  such  an  object  of  pity  that  my  sympathies  were 
aroused  as  well  as  E 's,  so  that  the  cordiality  of  our  in- 
vitation soon  overcame  his  scruples,  and  he  thoroughly  en- 
joyed the  beefsteak,  which  he  said  was  the  first  he  had 
tasted  in  weeks.  He  was  too  fatigued  to  remain  long  after 
dinner,  but  begged  to  be  allowed  to  come  and  assist  us  in  the 

morning.     Jones  rowed  E across  the  river  to  secure  our 

cabin,  and  paj-  a  deposit  of  twenty  dollars.     E and  Von 

M spent  the  evening  with  me.  The  latter  having  se- 
cured another  "ad"  at  thirty  dollars  a  week,  felt  that  the 
magic  lantern  was  more  than  paying  for  itself  He  strongly 
advised  our  leaving  at  once  bj'  the  Clara,  as  the  Flora,  if  on 
a  sand-bar,  might  not  be  able  to  make  another  trip,  adding 
that  Mr.  F — ,  the  owner,  feared  to  wait  longer,  and  intended 
to  take  his  wife  on  the  Clai-a.     Just  then  another  mouse  ran 

close  to  i\\\  chair.     When  E discovered  that  these  little 

creatures  made  my  life  miserable,  he  began  to  whittle,  and 
soon  had  made  from  three  sticks  of  wood  a  most  ingenious 

mouse-trap,  for  which  I  was  most  grateful.     When  E 

returned  the  die  was  cast,  our  deposit  made,  and  we  were 
to  be  ready  to  sail  the  following  day  at  noon  on  the  Clara. 

Thursday,  September  22d. 
On  opening  the  cabin  door  early  this  morning,  what  was 
my  surprise  to  see  the  ground  all  white  and  the  snow  falling 

heavily.     A  groan  from  E informed  me  that  from  her 

cot  .she  also  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  white  mantle. 
"  Now  it  is  hopeless,"  she  cried,  "  and  we  shall  not  be  able 
to  get  out  this  winter.  A  direful  death  was  predicted  for 
me,  and  the  prophecy  will  surely  be  fulfilled  if  the  ice  shuts 


388         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ua  in.  We  have  received  assurances,  however,  from  different 
ones,"  said  I,  "that  tlie  river  will  flow  for  several  weeks 
yet.  We  had  better  make  an  early  start,  and  be  on  the 
D.iwson  side  in  plenty  of  time  to  attend  to  last  commissions." 

Hardh'  were  we  dres.sed  when  Jerry  W appeared,  say- 

insT,  "  Well,  ladies,  I  can't  let  you  go  off  without  telling  you 
what  splendid  property  you  have  on  Bear  Creek.  It  is  now- 
considered  finer  than  anything  yet  discovered."      "  Oh,  Mr. 

W do  let  me  have  that  gold  you  panned  out  from  there  ; 

I  '11  give  you  any  price  you  like  to  ask,"  said  I.  "  It  's 
awfully  hard  to  refuse  you,  but  it  's  all  I  've  got,  and  if  I  can 
get  out  it  will  sell  nn^  claim  for  me  at  a  high  figure." — "  But 
you  won't  get  out,  and  you  '11  go  to  Bear  Creek  many  more 
times." — "  If  I  were  sure  of  that,  you  might  have  it  and 
welcome,  but  I  just  wanted  to  tell  you  ladies  not  to  sell  even 
a  half-interest  for  less  than  twenty  thousand,  unprospected 
as  your  land  is,  because  the  moment  it  is  developed  it  will 
probably  be  worth  at  least  ten  times  that."  The  long-haired 
neighbour  then  came  to  nail  up  our  boxes  ;  our  trunks  were 
too  large  and  unwieldy  to  be  packed  over  the  Pass,  and  were 
to  be  left  behind,  particularly  as  we  had  been  offered  fifty 
dollars  each  therefor,  anything  with  lock  and  key  being 
valuable.  Ivan,  who  had  heard  many  offers  from  those  who 
wi.shed  to  care  for  him  during  the  winter,  and  an  offer  of  a 
thousand  dollars  cash  for  him,  seemed  to  realise  that  we  were 
about  to  depart.  The  intelligent  beast  began  dragging  his 
blankets  across  the  floor  and,  as  we  watched  him,  put  them 
in  a  large  telescope  bag,  then  got  into  the  bag  and  seated 
himself  upon  the  blankets,  seemingly  content  that  his  pre- 
parations were  made.  It  was  such  an  uiuisal  thing  for  a 
dog  to  do  that  I  immediately  got  my  Kodak  and  took  a 
picture  of  him,  in  order  to  have  proof  that  my  story  was  not 
a  Yukon  fable. 

The  neighbours  came  in   to  lend  a  hand,   and  con.soled 

E by  assuring  her  that  the  mercury  would  have  to  be 

ten  degrees  lower  than  at  present  before  the  river  would 
freeze  over.  K and  Von  M had  the  honour  of  row- 
ing us  across,   while  two  other  neighbours  took  over  our 


A  Series  of  Disappointments  389 

boxes  and  bags  in  their  big  boat.  We  boarded  the  Clara 
and  asked  if  we  had  a  few  moments  to  spare.  "  Oh,  she  maj- 
not  go  out  nntil  four  or  five  o'clock,"  said  tlie  Captain, 
"  and  then  it  will  be  so  late  that  we  had  better  wait  until 

morning."     K started  off  to  the  office  of  the  owner  to 

discover  the  cause  of  the  delay,   while  I   went   to  Colonel 

K 's  to  deliver  to  him  the  keys  of  the  house  and  written 

instructions  concerning  everything  left  therein.  Just  then 
we  saw  the  Flora,  which  has  made  the  trip  safely  many  times, 
coming  in,  and  we  were  advised  bj'  several  to  change  to  her, 
in  preference  to  going  on  a  steamer  that  has  never  been  to 
the  White  Horse,  with  a  captain  who  has  the  channel  yet  to 
learn,  particularly  as  the  river  is  very  low — many  rafts,  even, 
being  on  sand-bars.  Some  old  captains,  however,  prefer  low 
water,  saying  that  the  channel  shows  so  much  more  distinctly. 
As  I  entered  the  Alaska  Connnercial  Company's,  George  ap- 
proached me  with  another  man  to  be  paid  for  logs.  "  Why, 
George,  I  have  paid  already  for  more  logs  than  there  are  in 

the  cabin  ;  our  affairs  are  now  in  the  hands  of  Colonel  K , 

who  will  settle  with  this  man  if  his  claim  be  just."  "  You 
can't  go  off  without  paying  mc,"  said  the  man  in  a  brutal 
way;  "  I  '11  attach  your  luggage."  "  Come  up-stairs,"  said 
I,  in  my  most  freezing  manner. 

I  saw  that  Colonel  K was  busily  engaged  with  several 

men,  so  began  to  retreat,  but  the  gallant  Colonel  insisted 
upon  my  entering  and  seating  myself.  George  was  told  to 
remain  outside.  Two  men  with  enormously  rich  claims, 
which  will  probably  give  them  handsome  fortunes  next  year, 
had  used  up  all  their  means  in  preparing  their  land  for  the 
winter's  work,  and  had  left  men  to  develop  them.  They 
were  anxious  to  "go  out"  and  remain  until  the  spring 
clean-up,  but  were  land-poor,  and  had  not  the  wherewithal. 
They  had  applied,  as  does  everyone,  to  the  kindly,  generous- 
hearted  Colonel,  who,  as  is  well  known,  is  ever  ready  to  lend 
a  helping  hand  to  all  in  distress,  much  to  the  anxiety  of  those 
who  surround  him,  as  they  fear  that  not  onl}'  his  purse  but 
his  time  will  be  taxed  to  such  a  degree  as  to  interfere  with 
his  personal  duties.     In  this  case,  the  men  did  not  plead  in 


390         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

vain.      Then   the   Colonel  said,    "And   now,    Mrs.   H , 

what  can  I  do  for  j'ou  this  morning  ?  "  "I  am  in  trouble 
again.  Colonel,  and,  as  j'ou  hold  my  power  of  attorney,  I 
wanted  to  turn  the  man  over  to  j-ou,  but  he  won't  listen  to 
it.  We  counted  the  logs  in  our  house  yesterday,  and  there 
are  not  as  many  logs  in  the  entire  cabin  as  this  additional 
number  would  make." — "  Where  is  the  man  who  now  wishes 
to  impose  upon  you  ?  "  — "  Outside  the  door  with  the  over- 
seer." Up  sprang  the  quick,  wiry  Colonel.  The  two  men 
entered,  doffing  their  hats.  "  Be  .seated,"  said  the  Colonel, 
motioning  to  two  chairs  facing  him  ;  he  then  began  a  series 
of  cros.s-questioni ng  worthy  of  the  sharpest  attorney,  quick 
and  to  the  point,  so  that  the  men  had  no  time  to  consult.  In 
five  minutes  he  said,  "  I  shall  go  over  myself  and  count  the 
logs  in  that  cabin  to-morrow  morning  ;  and  woe  to  the  man 
who  has  tried  to  impose  on  these  two  ladies,  as  their  affairs 
are  now  in  my  hands,  and  if  anyone  has  dared  to  '  do  them  ' 
he  will  have  to  answer  to  me."  "  And  to  me,  too,"  said 
George,  "  for  the}'  treated  me  handsome,  like  I  was  a  gentle- 
man, and  I  ain't  a-goin'  to  see  them  done,  neither."  "  I 
onl}'  want  what  's  mine,"  said  Pat,  "  and  would  n't  cheat 
them  out  of  a  penny,  for  thej'  've  been  kind  to  all  o'  us 
boys. ' ' 

Just  then  E came  in  and  said,  "  The  Collector  of  Cus- 
toms tells  me  that  the\-  have  no  engineer  for  the  Clara  and 
that  she  is  not  going  out  to-day,  as  half  of  the  crew  are  mass- 
ing; all  our  luggage  is  on  board,  but  we  '11  never  get  away." 

— "  Don't  worry,  MissV .   Will  you  leave  thistomealso? 

I  '11  send  for  the  owner,  find  out  exactly  how  matters  .stand, 
and,   in  case  it  seems  wise,  will  have  all  your  goods  and 

chattels  transferred  to  the  Flora."     E breathed  a  sigh 

of  relief,  and  said,  "  Then  if  there  is  nothing  else  for  me  to 
do,  I  can  accept  an  invitation  to  luncheon  which  I  have  par- 
tially refused,  as  I  'm  simply  starving,"  and  off  she  went, 
grateful  as  are  all  others  who  never  apply  in  vain  for  advice 
or  assistance  to  this  kindest   of  men.     "  And   now,    Mrs. 

H ,  please  make  a  few  explanations  in  regard  to  these 

instructions,   and  then   you  must  take  your  last  luncheon 


A  Series  of  Uisappointnients  391 

■with  me  at  the  Hoffman  House,  which  is  quite  close  at 
hand."  Business  was  soon  finished,  and  off  we  started,  fol- 
lowed by  the  faithful  Ivan,  who  remained  quietly  at  my  feet 
during  the  repast.  Among  the  celebrities  who  were  lunch- 
ing there  was  "  Nigger  Jim,"  who  looked  very  handsome  in 
his  rich  garb  of  fur,  which  covered  him  from  ears  to  heels. 
It  was  the  first  time  I  had  seen  him  with  a  coat  on,  as  he 
prefers  shirt-sleeves  even  at  the  theatre  and  at  a  dance. 

After  luncheon  the  Colonel  invited  me  liack  to  the  office, 

sent  for  M ,  and  interviewed  him  in  regard  to  the  Clara. 

"  I  had  an  engineer  last  night,"  said  M ,  "  and  we  were 

all  ready  to  start,  but  the  man  got  drunk,  so  I  discharged 
him  on  the  spot,  as  I  would  not  risk  the  lives  of  passengers 
and  crew  by  taking  out  a  fellow  who  drinks.  However,  I 
have  many  applicants  for  the  position,  and  shall  surely  have 
a  good  man  in  a  few  hours." — "  And  3-our  captain,  has  he 

ever  made  the  trip  before  ?  "      "  No,"  said  M ,  "  but  we 

have  the  best  pilot  who  ever  navigated,  and  with  our  strong 
engines  are  sure  to  reach  White  Horse  before  any  other 
steamer." — "  Well,  when  you  get  your  engineer,  come  back 

and  let  me  know  who  he  is."     As  M left  I  thanked  the 

good  Colonel  most  heartily,  and  told  him  that  as  there  was 
evidently  no  chance  of  our  getting  away  until  the  following 
day,  he  must  come  and  dine  with  us  at  the  Fairview,  where 
•we  should  spend  the  night,  and  then  went  off,  followed  by 
Ivan,  to  attend  to  final  commissions. 

Soon  there  came  a  message  from  Colonel  K ,  saying, 

■"  Have  made  inquiries,  and  find  that  the  F/ora  has  more 
chances  of  accomplishing   the  trip  than  has  the  Clara,   so 

better  change  at  once."     E and  I  divided  duties — I  to 

purchase  tickets,  go  to  steamer  and  select  room,  and  see  that 
our  satchels  were  placed  as  we  wanted  them,  she  to  go  to 
the  ofiice  of  the  Clara  to  have  deposit  refunded,  as  they  had 
not  kept  their  contract  of  sailing  on  the  22d.  I  saw  the  wife 
of  the  captain  of  the  Flora,  who  showed  me  a  small  cabin 
■with  two  berths,  but  the  best  on  board.  The  door  was  of 
boards  nailed  together,  the  hook  a  twisted  screw,  the  bunks 
of  tightly  stretched  canvas,  of  canvas  also  the  wall  which 


392         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

separated  us  from  the  extremely'  narrow  deck  ;  the  only 
article  of  furniture  was  a  box  standing  on  end  holding  a  tin 
basin.  There  was  no  pitcher,  no  glass,  no  mirror,  neither 
soap  nor  towels — absolutely  nothing  but  the  tin  basin  and 
the  places  in  which  to  throw  our  blankets  and  pillows. 
Comfortless,  to  be  sure,  but  safe — the  one  steamer  which  is 
now  to  be  depended  upon.  Fare  one  hundred  and  twenty 
dollars  to  the  end  of  the  route,  and  all  meals  two  dollars 
extra,  while  upon  the  Clara  the  fare  was  one  hundred  dol- 
lars, and  meals  one  dollar  each. 

At  7.30  Colonel  K came  for  dinner  ;  at  the  same  time 

E returned,  saying,  "  M refuses  to  return  the  de- 
posit ;  says  he  has  fitted  up  a  room  with  mattresses,  sheets, 
and  pillow-cases — unknown  luxuries  in  steamer  travel  in 
this  part  of  the  world — has  laid  in  a  supply  of  delicacies  just 
for  us,  and  that  we  promised  to  go  with  him,  but  only 
changed  our  minds  when  the  Flora  came  in.  I  told  him  his 
contract  had  first  been  broken  by  not  sailing  at  the  appointed 
time,  and  now  he  holds  us  to  our  agreement,  and  the  lug- 
gage is  still  on  board  his  boat,  which  is  to  start  at  daybreak 

in  the  morning."     Colonel  K was  at  once  all  energy. 

"  Ring  up  No.  —  on  the  telephone,"    he  said  to  the  man 

at  the  office.     "Tell to  come  to  the 'phone.    Go  at  once 

to  iM ,  the  owner  of  the  Clara,  and  tell  him  to  deliver  to 

you  iinmcdialdy  all  the  luggage  belonging  to  the  two  ladies, 
take  them  to  my  storehouse,  and  make  a  list  of  them,  bring 
it  here  to  see  if  it  be  correct,  and  then  put  the  things  on 
board  the  Flora  early  to-morrow  morning,"  and  the  Colonel 
dropped  the  'phone,  turned  to  us,  and  changed  the  subject. 

E manifested  the  most  lively  gratitude,  and  the  deepest 

regret  that  she  was  dining  out  and  could  not  join  us.  I  thor- 
oughly enjoyed  listening  to  the  Colonel's  wonderful  experi- 
ences, which  presented  the  many  sides  of  his  character  most 
vividly.  Justice,  enormous  will-power,  and  strong  individual- 
ity predominated  over  all  else.  The  grandest  courage  in  try- 
ing moments  was  manifested  last  year  when  famine  stared  the 
many  in  the  face,  and  he  alone  quelled  the  riot  when  no  one 
else  dared  to  face  the  an2;er  of  the  mob.     Filled  with  a  keen 


394         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

sense  of  justice,  the  men  knew  that  he  would  patiently  listen 
to  their  grievances,  aud  that  their  wrongs  would  be  righted, 
so  they  were  willing  to  abide  by  his  decision,  whether  for  or 
against  them.  Manj'  a  man  had  he  helped,  many  a  deroted 
slave  had  he,  but  not  from  him  did  I  learn  all  this,  as  he  was 
one  who  let  not  his  left  hand  know  the  doings  of  his  right, 
and  if  one  expressed  admiration  for  his  splendid  qualities,  he 
would  laugh  him  to  scorn,  and  tell  of  a  side  of  his  nature 
which  was  filled  with  "  deviltrj-,"  as  he  expressed  it.  Stories 
of  home-life  also  were  told  and  his  fondness  for  nuisic  was 
spoken  of  and  this  reminds  me  that  whenever  he  entered  the 
dining-room  of  the  Fairview  the  little  orchestra  always  played 
Ben  Bolt. 

The  Colonel  would  accept  no  praise  for  the  wonderful  way 
in  which  he  has  developed  the  interests  of  the  Alaska  Com- 
mercial Company  in  Dawson  ;  said  he  was  but  an  instrument 
in  the  hands  of  men  who  are  at  the  head  of  a  grand  scheme, 
and  told  of  their  deeds  of  generosity  and  kindness  until  I 
confessed  shame  at  the  criticisms  with  which  the  first  part 
of  my  journal  was  filled.  "  Yes,"  said  he,  "  you  should  be 
ashamed.  Can  you  not  recognise  the  grandeur  of  the 
pioneers  ? — their  schemes  to  develop  new  countries,  to  aid 
the  miner,  to  provide  him  with  food  even  when  a  corner  in 
the  market  would  allow  them  to  ask  enormous  prices  ? 
Their  charges  never  vary,  so  that  the  miners  feel  that  they 
are  to  be  depended  upon  under  any  and  all  circumstances. 
You  may  have  met  with  some  unfaithful  .servants,  but  why 
should  you  critici.se  the  whole,  of  which  you  know  so  little  ? 
Oil,  woman,  woman,  why  can  you  not  be  noble  and  gener- 
ous ?  "  "  You  make  me  feel  like  wiping  out  many  pages," 
said  I,  "  but  still,  mine  is  only  a  journal  of  daily  events,  faith- 
fully aud  truly  recorded."  "  Yes,  but  .should  you  not  regret 
it  if  your  statements  caused  others  to  doubt  the  efficiency  of 
so  noble  a  company?  And  now,  madam,"  said  the  Colonel, 
"  it  is  ten  o'clock.  I  nuist  work  all  night,  and  see  the  Sarah 
started  for  St.  Michaels  early  to-morrow  morning.  I  shall 
be  too  busy  for  words,  so  it  is  better  to  say  good-bye  now 
and  wish  you  ban  zvyao-c.     I  am  only  sorry  that  we  did  not 


A  Series  of  Disappointments  395 

meet  when  you  first  arrived,  so  lliat  I  might  have  saved  you 
from  impositions,  and  liave  arranged  your  affairs  in  such  a 
way  that  your  stay  would  have  been  a  pleasure  instead  of 
lieing  filled  with  much  anxiet\'  as  it  seems  to  have  been." 
With  this  the  noble  fellow  departed,  and  I  saw  him  no  more. 
The  manager  of  the  hotel  came  to  me,  saying,  "  One  of 

your  former  neighbours,  Mr.  O ,  is  here  ill  with  typhoid 

iever.  He  is  quite  alone,  but  recognised  \our  voice  and 
wants  to  know  if  you  won't  stop  and  speak  to  him."  I 
hastened  to  comply  with  his  request,  and  found  the  poor 
fellow  burning  with  fever,  and  looking  very  thin  and  wan. 
There  was  absolutel}'  nothing  to  be  done  for  him,  except  to 
try  and  cheer  him  up  a  bit,  which  I  did  until  the  fear  of 
tiring  him  sent  me  to  my  room — the  best  in  the  hotel,  but 
tiny  and  heated  by  a  pipe  that  went  through  the  hall.  Al- 
though the  windows  had  been  ordered  months  before,  they 
had  never  arrived,  so  a  sheet  was  tacked  up  to  keep  out  the 
air  ;  there  was  just  room  enough  for  a  home-made  bedstead, 
with  a  real  mattress,  and  although  it  was  one  which  m}- 
maid  at  home  might  have  scorned,  it  seemed  luxurious  to 
me,  as  I  slipped  in  between  sheets  once  more  instead  of  roll- 
ing up  in  blankets.  How  this  kind  of  life  teaches  one  to 
appreciate  even  the  commonest  comforts  of  home,  and  yet 
how  stuffy  and  uncomfortable  will  seem  overheated  rooms 
after  such  an  abundance  of  pure  air.  As  I  turned  to  blow 
out  the  candle,  I  stopped  to  admire  the  ingenuit\'  of  the 
candlestick,  a  flat  piece  ot  wood  long  enough  to  hold  a  cake 
of  soap  at  one  end,  on  the  other  three  long  nails  sufficiently 
separated  to  admit  of  a  candle  being  slipped  in  between. 
On  the  table  was  a  tin  basin,  but  no  pitcher — that  and  a 
slop-bucket,  and  a  few  pegs  in  the  wooden  wall  completed 
the  furni.shings  except  for  the  uiuisual  luxury  of  a  carpet 
and  curtains.  One  puff,  the  light  was  out,  and  then 
oblivion. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 


ADIEU   TO    DAWSON 


Friday,  September  23d. 

CALLED  at  seven,  and  after  dressing  went  into  E 's 
room  to  make  plans  for  the  day  and  we  divided  duties 
as  usual.  I  went  to  the  warehouse  at  the  other  end  of  town, 
and  found  not  only  all  our  goods  and  chattels,  but  also  the 

protege  of  Colonel  K with  the  list  for  me  to  examine. 

Nothing  was  missing,  so  with  a  line  of  thanks  to  our  good 
friend,  whom  I  would  not  disturb,  as  he  was  still  engrossed 
in  trying  to  clear  the  Sarah,  I  started  for  the  office  of  the 
Crown  Agent,  who,  fortunately,  had  arrived  at  an  early 
hour.  When  he  heard  that  our  land  had  not  only  been 
"jumped  "  but  the  cache  torn  down,  he  said,  "  The  stakes 
will  still  be  there,  as  it  is  a  six-months'  offence  to  pull  lht.m 
out." — "  No,  even  the  stakes  are  gone." — "  Impossible  ! 
Don't  you  worr}'.  I  '11  go  to-morrow  and  find  out  all  about 
it,  and  you  may  rest  assured  that  your  rights  will  be  pro- 
tected." So,  thanking  him,  and  receiving  best  wishes  for  a 
prosperous  trip,  I  went  to  the  post-office,  as  a  home  mail  had 
recently  arrived.  "  Not  ready  for  distribution,"  said  the 
postmaster  as  he  opened  the  door  in  answer  to  my  repeated 
knocks.  "  But  my  steamer  goes  in  an  hour,  and  it  would 
be  cruel  to  leave  without  letters  from  home."  "  We  '11  see 
what  we  can  do,  if  you  have  time  to  return  in  half  an  hour." 
I  glanced  about  the  office  which  had  been  transformed  since 
the  arrival  of  this  new  and  energetic  postmaster.  Many 
more  boxes  had  been  put  up,  instead  of  having  just  a  few 

396 


Adieu  to  Dawson  397 

against  tlie  wall  as  formerh-,  leaving  the  large  room  to  be 
crowded  with  men. 

Having  had  some  friendly  hints,  I  purchased  bread,  but- 
ter, sardines,  and  jam,  and  other  delicacies.  The  flannels 
which  we  had  brought  with  us  were  not  nearh'  heavy  enough 
for  a  climb  over  the  Pass.  The  articles  desired  had  been  re- 
ceived by  the  Alaska  Commercial  Company,  but  as  so  many 
of  their  steamers  had  come  into  port  with  heavy  cargoes,  the 
warehouses  had  been  filled  to  overflowing.  For  three  days 
the  obliging  men  had  been  searching  for  the  box  containing 
the  goods  we  were  in  need  of,  but,  as  the  last  moments  drew 
near  and  we  dared  not  wait  longer,  we  bought  men's  flannels 
instead.  Back  to  the  post-office,  accompanied  by  "  Arizona 
Charlie,"  where  I  found  a  dozen  letters.  "  Did  you  get  any 
for  me?"  said  he.  —  "  No  ;  unfortunately  they  had  only 
reached  the  H's,  so  I  could  not  get  all  of  mine,  and  not  even 

one  for  Miss  V ." — "  I  'ni  going  to  the  steamer  to  see 

you  off,  and  hope  you  '11  come  back  next  year."     We  were 

joined  by  Von  M ,  who  said,  "  The  Clara  has  already 

gone.  Don't  you  wish  you  'd  had  the  first  start  ?  " — "  No, 
for  we  are  sure  to  pass  her." 

Down  on  the  dock  we  were  joined  bj'  neighbours,  acquaint- 
ances, and  friends,  all  but  the  busy  Colonel  K ,  we  who 

had  arrived  strangers  and  friendless,  with  only  one  to  meet 

us.     j\lr.  W was  among  the  many  who  turned  up  to  .see 

us  off".  I  immediately  began  another  attack.  "  If  you  icoiild 
sell  me  just  a  little  of  that  beautiful   Bear  Creek   gold." 

"  Why  can't  you  let  her  have  a  little  ?  "  said  Von  M . 

"  Because  I  may  go  out  by  the  next  steamer  myself  if  I  can 
make  it,  and  should  then  need  it  ;  there  's  nobody  else  I  'd 

rather  give  it  to.     Captain  B has  been  begging  for  it  for 

a  week,  as  he  has  a  claim  on  the  other  side."  Others 
crowded  in  with  their  good  wishes.     The  last  moment  had 

come,  when  W appeared,  saying,  "  Well,  I  've  concluded 

to  let  you  have  it  upon  condition  that  you  '11  advertise  half 
my  interest  for  sale,  so  that  I  can  get  money  enough  to  work 
it  in  fine  style." — "  Gladly,  and  send  you  and  your  wife 
each  a  copy  of  the  paper  or  papers,"  and  with  a  sigh  of 


39^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

pleasure  I  accepted  the  small  paper  of  the  prettiest  gold  I 
have  ever  seen — but  perhaps  I  am  prejudiced. 

W ,  Jones,  and  other  friends  raised  their  hats  as  the 

whistle  blew  for  the  last  time,  the  steamer  slowly  moved  from 
her  wharf,  and  this  was  the  last  of  Dawson  and  of  some  of 
the  most  uiuisual  experiences  women  could  have.     There 

were  tears  in  E 's  e)'es,   and  my  own  felt  misty  as  I 

thought  of  the  kind,  good  fellows  obliged  to  remain  through 
the  winter,  shut  in  by  ice  and  snow  from  all  communication 
with  home  and  loved  ones,  though  longing  to  be  on  the 
homeward-bound  steamer.  Some  had  to  stay  to  protect  their 
interests,  others  to  work  their  claims,  many  were  ashamed 
to  leave  without  having  made  their  pile,  and  were  daily 
growing  poorer,  and  so  we  were  carrying  back  letters  for 
them  filled  with  hope  of  what  another  year  might  bring,  and 
hiding  from  their  families  their  trials  and  privations.  Daw- 
son was  soon  far  in  the  distance,  although  the  usual  late 
passenger  had  called  us  back  that  he  might  scramble  on 
board.  It  took  us  a  long  while  to  stow  three  telescope  bags 
into  a  place  where  there  was  scarcely  space  for  one,  and  to 
spread  out  our  blankets  on  the  narrow  bunks.  Finally  we 
were  at  liberty  to  sit  on  the  bench  outside  the  door  and  watch 
the  magnificent  scenery  with  mountains  on  either  side.  The 
captain  very  kindly  asked  us  into  the  pilot-house,  where  we 
enjoyed  the  superb  view  until  dinner-time,  6  p.m.     We  went 

down  with  Mr.  F and  his  fascinating  little  wife.     Hash 

was  the  only  hot  dish  ;  there  were  one  or  two  kinds  of 
tinned  meats,  stewed  apples,  and  a  dry  cake.     Two  dollars 

each  !  E and  I  concluded   that   the   box  of  delicacies 

we  had  with  us  would  provide  food  quite  as  nourishing, 
and  more  palatable — so  decided  not  to  patronise  the  table 
again. 

After  diinier  I  had  an  interesting  conversation  with  a  fel- 
low passenger,  who,  after  a  thorough  survey  of  this  part  of 
the  world,  has  concluded  that  the  mines  in  Australia  are  far 
superior.  While  admiring  Ivan  he  inquired  if  I  had  ever 
seen  the  Au.stralian  dog.  "  You  would  like  him,  as  you 
care  for  /»/>  dogs  ;  he  is  larger  than  the  Great  Dane,  in  shape 


Adieu  to  Dawson  399 

like  a  greyhound,  and  is  trained  to  kill  the  kangaroo.  He 
always  springs  at  the  throat.  A  man  not  far  from  where  I 
was  ranching  went  out  to  visit  one  of  his  mines,  taking  his 
dog  with  him.  She  had  recently  had  pups,  and  must  have 
felt  some  uneasiness  about  them,  for  she  deserted  her  master, 
fortunately,  and  went  back.  On  his  return  much  later,  he 
found  three  blacks  hiiig  in  front  of  his  cabin  dead,  each 
with  his  throat  torn.  They  had  come  to  attack  and  steal, 
noticing  that  he  had  taken  the  dog  with  him  on  his  depart- 
ure, but  were  surprised  and  killed  before  they  had  had  time 
to  murder  wife  or  child,  or  even  to  beat  a  retreat." 

Saturday,  September  24th. 

What  luck  that  we  did  not  go  on  the  Clara  !     She  is  now 
far  behind  us  on  a  sand-bar,  and  we  are  mentally  thanking 

good  Colonel  K for  his  advice.     Our  captain  is  chuckling 

over  having  passed  her,  and  told  the  story  in  this  waj-  :  "  I 
saw  the  Clara  in  shoal  water,  moving  slowly  and  evidently 
waiting  for  me  to  pass  so  as  to  follow  in  my  wake,  so  what 
did  I  do  but  go  round  the  island  and  take  another  channel, 
and  she,  in  trying  to  get  out,  went  high  and  drj'  on  the  bar." 
"  Do  you  never  stop  to  tow  off  a  boat  in  that  condition  ?  " 
"  Not  much  !  that  belongs  to  a  rival  firm  and  our  business  is 
to  beat  her  by  just  as  many  hours  as  possible."  The  next 
event  was  being  signalled  for,  b}'  a  large  scow.  As  we  ap- 
proached we  saw  nine  bunks  in  rows  of  three  on  a  side,  a  long 
table,  at  which  sat  at  least  a  dozen  men  at  dinner,  of  which 
the  most  prominent  dish  was  one  of  beans.  "  What  do  you 
want  ?  "  shouted  the  captain.  "  Want  to  give  you  a  pas- 
.senger,"  so  we  tied  up  alongside.  A  man  scrambled  on 
board,  and  off  we  started  again,  leaving  behind  us  this  scow 
belonging  to  the  Arctic  Express  Compan}-.  This  company, 
we  learned  from  the  Klondike  Nugget,  "is  a  British  one 
with  President  Battenbury  of  the  Ora,  Flora,  and  iVot'a  line 
of  steamboats  at  its  head.  It  is  engaged  in  perfecting  a  plan 
of  building  provision  cabins  all  along  the  Yukon  River  and 
upper  lakes,  with  relays  of  dog  teams  all  the  way.  It  is  aLso 
planned  to  provide  a  mail  service  twice  a  month."     If  this 


400         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

plan  is  carried  out,  it  will  be  of  inestimable  benefit  to  the 
Klondike  region  during  the  coming  winter. 

Towards  evening  a  scow  passed  and  was  stopped  in  order 
to  send  off  one  of  our  passengers  in  her.  The  story  told  was 
that  he  had  come  on  board  intoxicated,  thinking  that  he  was 
bound  for  vSt.  Michaels.  When  he  recovered  and  found  him- 
self going  in  the  opposite  direction  there  was  a  scene,  and  he 
wanted  to  get  off  at  the  first  landing-place,  but  his  story  was 
regarded  as  a  Yukon  fable,  and  rather  than  give  him  a  lift 
of  forty  or  fifty  miles,  and  land  him  at  the  station  which  he 
was  desirous  of  reaching,  they  decided  to  insure  his  return 
to  Dawson  bj-  placing  him  in  special  charge  of  the  captain 
of  the  scow,  who  called  out  as  we  were  ]ea\'ing,  "  W'e  '11 
treat  him  right.  We  '11  feed  him  well."  W"e  also  stopped 
twice  during  the  day  to  land  passengers  on  shores  which 
looked  most  forbidding  and  inhospitable.  Two  mounted 
police  came  on  board  from  the  Stewart  River  station  to  see 
if  some  commissions  had  been  attended  to.  There  was  the 
most  magnificent  of  pyrotechnical  effects,  which  would  have 
been  beautiful  to  watch  had  it  not  been  so  dangerous  as  to 
drive  us  all  into  our  cabins  at  8  p.ji.  The  cinders  from  the 
funnel  fell  in  showers.  Poor  Ivan,  who  had  been  lifted  by 
four  men  onto  the  upper  deck  (as  he  seemed  to  me  so  much 
in  the  way  on  the  narrow  corridor  where  wo  all  sat)  had 
trembled  all  day  at  the  rifle  shots,  as  the  passengers  aimed 
at  ducks  that  were  to  be  seen  in  great  numbers  ;  had  started 
at  the  sound  of  the  whistle  ;  had  .shivered  with  the  cold,  and 
now  presented  a  pitiable  appearance  as  many  of  the  .spnrks 
fell  upon  him,  so  the  men  were  called  and  he  was  lifted  down 
again. 

Some  men  near  by  were  telling  stories.     W ,  of  Seattle, 

contributed  this  :  "A  boy's  mother  heard  that  he  had  been 
swearing.  When  she  accused  him  of  it,  he  said,  in  a  fit  of 
indignation,  '  Who  told  you  ? '  '  Oh,  a  little  bird.'  The 
boy  thought  for  an  instant,  and  then  cried,  '  I  '11  bet  it  was 

one  of  them  d d  sparrows.'  "     This  reminded  me  of  a 

child  at  the  Mare  Island  Navy  Yard.  The  father  was  ex- 
ecutive officer  of  the  ,  and  the  bo}'  often  accompanied 


402         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

liiiii  on  board.  He  had  taken  a  great  fanc)-  to  a  Gerniaii 
sailor  whom  he  always  sought  and  remained  with  until  the 

last  possible  moment.     One  morning  as  Master  B was 

planning  to  go  on  board  his  mother  interfered  with  his 
pleasure  by  keeping  him  at  home  to  have  his  head  sham- 
pooed. The  child's  head  was  over  the  basin  as  he  submitted 
to  the  operation  with  poor  grace  ;  finally  the  little  fellow 
could  bear  it  no  longer,  and  cried  out,  "  When  they  do  any- 
thing to  my  German  sailor  that  he  don't  like,  he  just  calls  on 

the  Lord — an'  he  ain't  prayin'  neither,"  said  B stoutly, 

looking  his  mother  squarelj*  in  the  eyes,  to  see  how  she 
would  take  it,  and  whether  he  would  dare  do  the  same. 
"  You  let  me  hear  you  calling  on  the  Lord,  mj-  boy,  when 
you  are  not  praying,  and  you  shall  never  see  your  German 
sailor  again."  So  B decided  then  and  there  not  to  imi- 
tate in  one  respect  the  man  whom  he  so  greath'  admired. 

Suuday,  September  25tli. 
We  peeped  out  this  morning,  but  finding  the  decks  covered 
thickly  with  cinders,  and  sparks  flying  in  all  directions,  de- 
cided that  it  was  much  better  to  lie  in  our  bunks  and  write, 
as  there  was  not  room  to  sit  in  the  cabin  and  do  so.  The 
door  was  left  slightly  ajar,  so  that  we  might  get  the  magnifi- 
cent view  yet  not  be  seen.  The  mountains  became  more 
grand,  the  banks  more  brilliant.  Here  and  there  patches 
of  red  mingled  with  green  and  made  the  scene  variegated 
and  a  delight  to  the  eye.  W'e  heard  the  whistle  of  a  steamer, 
which  was  high  and  dry  on  a  sand-bar.  The  passengers  said 
that  they  were  from  Vancouver  with  a  cargo  of  cattle  and 
sheep  which  they  declared  had  been  turned  a.shore  to  graze 
for  a  while — a  story  which  seemed  to  us  most  highly  improb- 
able. Shortly  after  we  heard  talk  of  the  Willie  Irving  in  the 
distance,  so  concluded  to  dre.ss  and  get  pictures  of  her,  and 
were  just  in  time  for  a  couple  of  shots  ;  she  was  pu.shing  a 
scow  and  had  teen  on  a  sand-bar  for  two  days.  Our  pas- 
sengers sang, 

"  We  've  been  to  Dawson  City, 

Oh  what  a  pity 

That  we  've  left  it  behind." 


Adieu  to  Dawson  4^3 

The  next  point  of  interest  was  a  sailboat  stranded  on  the 
beach  and  abandoned.  We  also  passed  a  good-sized  steam- 
launch,  and  although  the  only  sign  of  habitation  on  shore 
was  a  tent,  we  saw  two  women,  nattily  garbed  in  golf  cos- 
tume, tramping  along  the  bank.  A  mile  or  two  farther  on 
a  Peterboro'  canoe  approached,  the  occupant  signalling  us. 

We  stopped  as  he  came  alongside,  asked  for  Mr.  F ,  had 

his  interview,  and  departed. 

The  mountains  on  either  side  are  becoming  higher,  some 
of  them  snow-topped.  Now  that  we  have  grown  accustomed 
to  such  close  quarters,  and  such  tiny  rooms,  the  trip  would 
be  ideal  were  it  not  for  the  constant  shower  of  cinders  which 
penetrate  even  the  cabins.  A  carpenter  has  been  in  and  put 
up  three  small  shelves  for  us  and  taken  out  the  box,  which 
was  only  large  enough  to  hold  the  basin  and  a  tin  cup  of 
water.  After  dinner  a  kind  fellow  passenger  loaned  us  the 
canvas  from  his  bunk  to  put  up  over  our  heads  as  an  awn- 
ing.    This  protected  us  from  cinders,  and  we  were  joined  by 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  F and  one  or  two  others,  who  sat  spinning 

yarns  until  quite  late.  Ivan  narrowly  escaped  a  fall  over- 
board, and  this  evoked  a  story  of  a  traveller  whose  pet  dog 
had  fallen  into  the  water.  He  begged  the  captain  to  stop  and 
pick  him  up,  but  the  captain  replied  that  he  could  not,  ex- 
cept to  save  human  life.  "  Then  save  mine, "  said  the  owner 
of  the  dog  as  he  sprang  over  and  swam  to  him. 

Monday,  September  25th. 
At  seven  we  tied  up  to  a  bank  for  wood,  but  our  stay  there 
was  short,  as  the  wood  was  all  green.  At  8.30  tied  up  again, 
and  I  took  a  number  of  snap-shots  of  some  of  the  passengers 
as  they  felled  trees  to  supply  us  with  fuel  for  the  remainder  of 
the  trip  to  Fort  Selkirk,  which  is  less  than  forty  miles  dis- 
tant. The  passengers  returned,  bringing  beautiful  leaves  of 
variegated  colours  that  grow  along  the  edge  of  the  bank. 
Poplar  trees  are  very  abundant  :  also  birch.  The  felled  trees 
soon  covered  the  lower  deck,  the  whistle  blew  "  all  aboard," 
and  we  were  off.  The  men  then  began  sawing  the  wood  into 
proper  lengths  for  the  mouth  of  the  ever  yawning  furnace. 


404         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

The  purser  kindly  offered  E— —  his  room  and  a  desk  at 
which  to  write.  After  a  while  she  came  to  me  saying, 
"  Read  this  letter  ;  it  will  explain  itself.  I  found  out  about 
it  last  night.  It  really  ought  to  be  headed  the  '  Parrot 
Mysten,'.'  " 

"On  board  the  '  Fi,or.\.' 

"  De.\r  Colonel  K : 

"  I  have  just  discovered  something  in  connection  with  our 
affairs  which   I   think  you  would  like  to  know.      About  a 

fortnight  before  our  departure  from  Dawson  Mr. took 

our  parrot,  to  have  it  raffled.     The  following  day,  he  told 

me  the  parrot  had  died.     Both  he  and related  how  they 

had  taken  it  out  of  the  cage  and  nursed  and  petted  it  until 
it  breathed  its  last.     I  asked  to  see  the  bird,  but  was  told 

it  had  been  thrown  away.     A  week  later,  as started  to 

row  nie  across  the  Yukon,  he  was  hailed  by  a  man  who 
asked  for  '  a  lift.'     This  passenger  asked  what  had  become 

of  the  parrot,  sajnng  that  he  missed  it. assured  him 

that  it  had  died  within  twenty-four  hours  of  its  removal  from 
West  Dawson.  The  man  denied  this,  saying  it  was  the 
liveliest  bird  for  a  dead  bird  he  had  ever  seen.  One  of  the 
passengers  on  this  boat  now  tells  me  that  the  parrot  did  not 

die  ;  that  it  was  a  put-up  job  between and ,  who 

wished  to  have  the  bird  for  Mrs.  .     Our  fellow-passenger 

overheard  a  conversation  between  these  two  men  and  insisted 
upon  an  explanation.  The  parrot  was  perfectly  well  when 
it  left  our  tent  and  undoubtedly  is  now  in  the  land  of  the 
living.     We  valued  him  at  fifty  dollars.     It  seems  incredible 

that ,  who  was  always  so  kind,  would  have  attempted  to 

cheat  us  in  such  a  manner,  but  here  are  the  proofs,  and  if 
you  can  find  out  anything  about  it,  we  should  be  greatly  in- 
debted.    The  empty  cage  was  taken  to  M and  S 's 

store  a  couple  of  days  before  we  left. 

"  Very  sincerely, 

"E V ." 

The  next  steamer  passed  was  the  John  C.  Barr,  tied  up 
some  miles  below  Fort  Selkirk,  taking  on  board  cattle.     On 


Adieu  to  Dawson  405 

we  went,  admiring  the  beautiful  rocks,  the  walls  of  volcanic 
formation,  the  red  patches  which  we  were  told  was  very  f:ne 
moss  ;  at  length  a  promontory  of  rocks  came  into  view,  with 
a  head  of  the  same  material  so  clearly  defined  that  general 
attention  was  at  once  attracted  to  it.  It  had  been  reclining 
there  for  ages,  and  will  probably  be  visible  to  future  genera- 
tions who  may  make  this  trip  when  all  on  board  this  little 
steamer  shall  have  passed  awaj'.  Before  dinner  we  saw  the 
Ora  in  the  distance  tied  to  a  bank  and  evidentl}'  awaiting 
us.  We  were  soon  alongside  only  to  hear  the  sad  news  that 
our  captain,  purser,  and  the  most  obliging  of  stewards  had 
orders  to  exchange  with  those  on  the  Ora.  Our  second 
captain  was  much  disgruntled  at  having  his  crew  broken  up 
and  his  plans  changed,  and  expressed  himself  accordingly. 

We  had  news  that  the  Domvillc  was  "  stuck  on  a  bar" 
fifteen  miles  beyond  Selkirk.  Great  was  the  rejoicing,  not 
because  she  was  in  hard  luck,  but  that  we  should  pass  her 
in  all  probability.  Towards  dusk,  we  tied  up  at  the  famous 
Fort  Selkirk,  too  late  for  photographing,  and  the  banks  were 
so  steep  that  climbing  them  was  an  obstacle  we  did  not  care 
to  surmount,  although  sorely  tempted  to  do  so,  when  we 
saw  the  good  missionary  and  his  wife,  who  had  been  our 
fellow  passengers  from  San  Francisco.  Their  invitation  to 
land  was  most  cordial,  but  the  time  was  so  short  that  we 
contented  ourselves  with  chatting  from  steamer  deck  to 
shore.  The  moon,  which  we  had  heretofore  seen  only  peep- 
ing for  a  short  while  nightly  above  the  mountain-tops,  now 
came  forth  in  full  glor}-  and  presented  a  view  of  what  ap- 
peared to  be  most  perfect  silhouettes  of  the  hundred  or  more 
inhabitants  on  the  banks,  mingled  with  some  fine  specimens 
of  Canadian  officials  and  soldiers  ;  but  the  aurora  borealis, 
which  was  so  often  visible  from  our  home  in  West  Dawson, 
has  not  during  this  trip  favoured  us  with  its  beautiful  light. 
Great  flocks  of  crane  flew  high  above  our  heads,  southward 
bound. 

"  There  's  something  for  a-ou  to  get  a  shot  at,"  said  to  me 
earh^  in  the  afternoon  the  tall  passenger  who  had  been  so 
nearly  left  behind  at  Dawson,  as  he  pointed  to  an  enormous 


4o6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

drove  of  cattle  grazing  on  the  side  of  a  mountain.  Thank- 
ing him,  I  touched  the  button,  although  the  sun  was  in  the 
wrong  direction.  We  were  soon  engaged  in  conversation. 
He  had  been  one  of  the  fortunate  ones  in  the  land  of  gold  ; 
had  not  been  "  out"  for  four  years;  had  a  few  hundred 
thousands  in  gold  dust  with  him,  and  was  leaving  many  fine 
claims  to  which  he  must  return  in  the  spring.  "  I  never 
thought  one  could  enjoy  life  so  much,"  said  he,  "  as  I  did 
on  my  last  return  home,  and  now,  after  another  four  years  in 
the  mines,  I  am  expecting  the  same  pleasures  again.  I  went 
to  Alaska  ten  years  ago,  and  am  one  of  the  pioneers.  At 
that  time  there  was  not  one  woman  in  the  country."  Here 
the  Virginian  was  called  awaj-  by  some  of  the  men  with 
whom  he  seemed  to  be  most  popular.  "  Well,  how  d'  j-er 
like  Bill  ?  "  called  out  another  passenger.  "  Did  you  ever 
read  that  long  article  in  the  paper  about  him,  a-callin'  him 
a  Klondike  King  ?  No  ?  Want  ter  see  it  ?  I  been  makin' 
a  collection  to  see  how  man}-  Klondike  Kings  we  'vegot,  an' 
I  have  stories  about  fifty  of  'em  with  me.  I  '11  go  an'  get 
yer  the  one  about  him,"  and  he  soon  returned  with  the 
following  : 

"MINING   KING  OF  ALASKA 

"  HOW   BILI<   L AND   HIS   CI,.\IM    NO.  —  PANNED  OUT  IN 

THE    NEW    EL   DORADO 

"  A  Typical  Story  by  a  Newspaper  Correspondent  to  the  Cincinnati 
Post,  January  30,  1S98,  showing  the  Turns  of  Fortune's  Wheel  in 
a  Gold  Camp. 

"  Dawson,  Yukon  River,  N.  W.  T., 

"  Nov.  30,   1897,  6.50  A.M. 

"  There  is  an  El  Dorado  King  snoring  peacefully  within 
six  feet  of  me.  He  occupies  the  far  side  of  my  cabin  bed, 
from  which  I  have  just  arisen,  and,  for  aught  I  know,  he  is 
dreaming  of  steam-yachts,   Delmonico  suppers,  and  gifts  to 

orphan  asylums.      My  friend.   Bill  L ,   the  unconscious 

object  of  these  remarks,  is  a  six-footer  from  H ,  West 

Virginia.  He  entered  the  world  under  somewhat  discourag- 
ing circumstances  in  the  year  i860.     His  father  was  by  no 


4o8         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

means  a  wealthy-  man,  owning  a  small  farm,  and  Bill,  to- 
gether with  his  six  brothers,  began  early  to  hustle  for  a 
living.  Most  of  the  boys  drifted  West,  and  entered  various 
pursuits.  Bill  tried  farming  in  Kansas,  but  finalh'  drifted 
north,  using  the  polar  star  as  his  guide  to  fortune. 

"  111  the  spring  of  1889  he  entered  the  Yukon  country, 
boating  down  to  Forty  Mile  Creek,  where  I  found  him  work- 
ing on  a  claim  a  few  months  later.     In  the  summer  of  i8go, 

I  again  visited  Fortj'  Mile,  and  discovered  L .sluicing 

an  unprofitable  claim.  He  accepted  an  offer  from  me  to- 
pack  one  hundred  pounds  of  provisions  across  the  Tanana 
River  at  fifteen  dollars  per  da}-,  and  thus  became  a  member 
of    the   Leslie    expedition.      There    was    .something    about 

L 's  grit  that  struck  me  most  favourablj',  and  after  we 

had  parted  company  through  the  expiration  of  our  agree- 
ment, I  aways  kept  him  in  mind.  His  determination  to  win 
a  fortune  out  of  the  Northlands  was  the  most  patent  char- 
acteristic of  the  man,  and  grimly  he  stuck  by  his  job. 

"  After  I  left  Alaska,  L, kept  on  mining,  showing  con- 
siderable judgment  in  selecting  profitable  ground.  Twice 
he  made  small  strikes  on  Miller  Creek  and  Birch  Creek,  tak- 
ing out  a  few  thousand  dollars  surplus  cash  each  time,  which 
he  carried  back  to  West  Virginia  and  salted  down  in  farm 
mortgages,  returning  again  to  the  Yukon. 

"  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  as  the  professional  biographers 
saj-,  did  not  come  to  Klondike  with  the  first  rush,  although 
near  by  at  other  diggings.  He  discredited  the  fabulous 
stories  that  flew  upon  the  winds  from  camp  to  camp,  and 
stuck  to  his  job  of  sluicing  some  moderately  good  ground. 
But,  finally,  the  reports  came  too  thick  and  fast  to  be  doubted 
longer  and  Bill  made  an  off  hand  decision.  Dropping  his 
pick  where  he  had  been  working,  he  rushed  into  his  cabin, 
seized  a  few  necessarj'  articles  of  food  and  apparel,  and  bolted 
down  the  gulch  for  the  Yukon,  leaving  behind  all  his  other 
propert}',  mining  claim,  cabin,  cooking  utensils,  tools,  rifle, 
and  a  big  stock  of  provisions,  none  of  which  he  has  seen 
again  to  this  day.  Jumping  into  a  skiff  he  rowed  furiously 
down  the  river,  arriving  in  Dawson  April,  1897.     He  quickly 


Adieu  to  Dawson 


409 


legged  it  out  to  the  gulch  and  began  surveying  the  ground. 
Other  people  had  been  before  him  in  staking  off  the  best 
territory,  and  Bill's  chances  were  slim.     But  he  was  not  to 
be  downed  easily.     Cast- 
ing his  experienced  eye 
over  El  Dorado  Creek,  a 
branch  of  the  Klondike, 
he   decided  to   make   or 
break  by  the  biggest 
gamble  of  his  life. 

"  Turning  to  the  own- 
ers of  claim  No.  — ,  and 
scouting  the  n  n  1  u  c  k  y 
number,  he  boldh'  offered 
thirty-one  thousand  two 
hundred  and  fifty  dollars 
for  a  three-eighths  inter- 
est in  the  five-hundred- 
foot  strip  of  ground.  The 
offer,  which  seemed  to  be 
a  phenomenally  large 
one,  was  eagerly  snapped 
up  and  Bill  found  himself 
installed  in  three-eighths 
possession    with   Messrs. 

C .owning  one-eighth, 

G ,  t  w  o  -  e  i  g  h  t  h  s, 

M ,  one-eighth,    and 

T ,    one-eighth.     As 

Bill  had  loaned  out  all  of  his  read)'  money,  and  was  only 
worth  at  best  ten  thousand  dollars,  he  was  obliged  to  run  in 
debt  for  his  entire  interest,  promising  to  pay  from  the  proceeds 
of  the  claim  when  he  struck  bed-rock.  His  partners  consid- 
ered him  the  best  man  to  operate  the  claim,  and  put  everything 
into  his  hands  as  superintendent  at  twenty  dollars  a  da)'. 
And  now  Bill  did  some  of  the  finest  hustling  of  his  life.  Hav- 
ing only  sixty  days  in  which  to  pay  for  his  interest,  he  rushed 
work  night  and  day,  labouring  in  the  drift-hole  with  eni- 


A    KLONDIKE    KING. 


4IO         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ployees  and  shovelling  out  pay-dirt  with  frantic  energy.  '  I 
never  sweat  so  hard  in  my  life  before,'  remarked  Bill  one  day 
to  me.  '  That  thirty-one  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty 
dollars  was  hanging  over  my  head,  and  I  knew  if  the  money 
wasn't  paid  on  the  minute  when  due  I  would  lose  my  inter- 
est, as  the  ground  showed  up  much  richer  than  the  late  owner 
had  expected.  How  we  dug  and  sluiced  !  Great  Scott  ! 
but  the  dirt  was  rich  !  I  could  hardly  believe  my  eyes  ; 
nothing  like  it  was  ever  known  before  !  Well,  we  got  the 
thirty  thousand  dollars  out  on  time  all  right,  and  I  made  my 
payment.  That  's  how  I  got  in  on  the  El  Dorado.'  The 
claim  is  studded  with  nuggets  like  plums  in  a  pudding. 
The  largest  nugget  taken  out  weighed  one  hundred  and  five 
dollars,  while  the  largest  selected  pan  of  dirt  yielded  four 
hundred  and  five  dollars.  Pans  of  one  hundred  dollars  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  are  a  connnon  thing.  If  the 
claim  continues  to  yield  two  thousand  dollars  to  the  foot,  as 
there  is  every  rea.son  to  expect,  the  entire  five  hundred  feet 
will  produce  a  cool  million  dollars. 

"  This  is  no  dream.  I  have  seen  the  gold  and  the  pay 
streaks,  and  know  \\'hereof  I  speak.  And  this  claim.  No.  — , 
was  recorded  in  Dawson,  September  29,  1896,  by  unlucky 

J.  H ,  who  sold  one-half  interest  in  it  for  one  thousand 

dollars,  and  got  rid  of  the  balance  before  the  big  find  was 
made.     Another  striking  feature  of  affairs  is  the  intention 

of  my  friend  L .     He  wants  to  get  out  of  the  country 

next  summer,  sure  pop,  and  proposes  to  mine  what  gold  he 
can  this  winter  and  then  sell  his  interest  in  the  unworked 
portion  of  the  claim.  '  I  've  had  enough  of  this  country,' 
remarked  Bill  to  me,  '  and  I  want  to  leave  next  sunnner, 
sure.  Eight  years  in  the  Yukon  is  a  big  chunk  taken  out 
of  a  man's  life.  If  I  wanted  to  stay  here  I  could  make  piles 
and  piles  of  nione}\  But  what  would  I  do  with  it  all  ?  I 
could  n't  spend  it.  No,  I  will  sell  out  and  go  to  the  States. 
Probably  I  shall  never  marry.  My  disposition  is  too  wander- 
some.  I  shall  go  to  the  tropics  and  try  mining  there.  M3' 
strength  is  not  what  it  used  to  be.  The  climate  here  is 
breaking  me  down.     I  feel  it.'  " 


CHAPTER    XXIX 


THE    RACE    WITH    THE 


DOMVILLE 


Tuesda}',  September  27th. 

VERY  early  in  the  morning  we  were  hailed  by  the 
Columbian,  which  has  gone  into  winter  quarters. 
Thirty  passengers  were  to  be  taken  from  her.  The  tramp- 
ing on  deck  and  noise  of  many  voices  prevented  .sleep  after 
6  A.M.  ;  bits  of  conversation  drifted  through  the  canvas  walls 
into  our  cabin.  "  Well,  before  we  got  here,  the  question 
was  how  to  get  out  of  the  country.  Now  it  's  where  we  're 
goin'  to  sleep." — "  Watch  and  watch,  I  guess — hang  up 
some  while  others  get  their  places." — "  Hulloa,  Billie  ! 
that  's  a  fine  cigar  you  've  got  !  Could  n't  you  give  a  feller 
one  o'  them?" — "  Egad,  Tonnnie,  I  'm  deuced  sorr}',  but 
it  's  the  last  one  I  've  got." — "  They  '11  have  to  keep  the 
hash  table  going  all  daj-  long  to  feed  us.  'T  will  be  a  short 
order  affair." — "  Well,  I  '11  be  glad  to  get  even  a  cup  of 
coffee  and  some  bread  and  butter.  Hulloa!  where  'd  you  get 
that  cup  ?  "  and  we  saw  through  the  crack  of  the  door  (which 
had  been  left  slightly  ajar  for  a  breath  of  air)  one  of  those 
pink  affairs  with  gold-rimmed  border  and  "  Remember  me  " 
in  big  gold  letters. — ' '  It 's  a  relic  of  the  Columbian. " — "  Why 
did  n't  you  bring  the  saucer  ?  "  "  So  I  did,"  said  the  fellow, 
as  he  fished  it  from  a  coat-pocket.  "  Suppose  the  ladies  ain't 
up  yet.     I  ain't  seen  one  for  years." 

As  I  stepped  on  to  the  crowded  deck,  plent}'  of  room  was 
made  for  me,  and  loud  songs  of  praise  were  sounded  for  Ivan. 
All  admired  his  size,  his  beauty,  and  his  training.  "  Whose 
dog  is  that  ?  " — "  Gad,  what  a  noble  beast  !  " — "  He  belongs 

411 


412         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

to  Mrs.   H ,  of  San  Francisco"   (confounding  me  with 

another). — "  Well,  she  'd  oughter  have  the  finest  specimen 
living,  she  's  got  lots  o'  ducats."  Men  with  coffee-pots, 
men  with  frj-ing-pans  and  tinned  goods  were  taking  their 
turn  at  the  stove.  I  went  forward  to  find  that  the  bench 
kept  for  me  before  the  pilot-house  had  fallen  overboard,  but 
was  not  allowed  to  feel  the  want  of  it,  as  two  men  imme- 
diately sprang  forward  to  fetch  me  the  long  one  used  by 
them. 

The  smoke  from  the  Doinvilk  was  just  ahead  but  around  a 
turn  in  the  river.  She  had  been  pulled  free  from  the  sand- 
bar and  was  apparently  tied  to  a  bank.  We  tried  to  reach 
her,  but  not  only  was  the  current  unusually  strong  just  there, 
a  head-wind  was  also  blowing  such  a  gale  that,  work  their 
best,  the  engines  could  not  force  the  Flora  a  foot  ahead  ;  on 
the  contrary,  she  was  slowly  but  surely  drifting  back.  A 
Mississippi  River  captain,  who  was  one  of  the  passengers, 
said,  "  Captain,  there  is  only  one  thing  to  do — order  all  the 
men  on  shore  ;  tell  them  to  climb  this  hill,  and  you  'II  pick 
them  up  around  the  corner,  where  the  current  is  not  so 
strong.  The  Captain  hesitated  between  his  reluctance  to 
accept  advice,  and  his  knowledge  that  lightening  the  load 
would  be  of  great  benefit.  Finally  his  good  sense  gained 
the  mastery,  and  the  order  was  given.  Nearly  fift}-  men 
jumped  from  the  deck  onto  the  narrow,  rocky  bank  ;  one  fell 
into  the  water,  but  his  wet,  pitiable  state  elicited  no  sym- 
pathy, only  evoked  shouts  of  laughter  in  which  he  thought 
it  wi.se  to  join  as  he  scrambled  up  the  slippery  surface.  As 
the  passengers  scrambled  and  pulled  themselves  up  the  steep 
hillside,  a  rope  was  thrown  out  from  the  Flora  far  in  advance 
of  the  Domville  (which  was  still  helplessly  hugging  the 
bank)  and  made  fast  to  a  tree.  The  engines  were  hard  at 
work,  but  the  steamer  was  only  holding  her  own.  No  sooner 
had  the  line  been  attached  to  the  cap.stan  than  we  began 
creeping,  first  neck  and  neck  with  the  Domville,  then  a 
length  ahead,  and  finalh'  there  was  a  shout  of  triumph  as  we 
showed  her  our  stern  wheel  and  rounded  the  point.  Just  as 
we  were  about  to  take  on  our  passengers  and  start  ahead, 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       413 

the  tree  was  uprooted.     The  Domville  hy  the  same  tactics 
was  soon  able  to  follow  us,  but  not  for  long. 

The  next  object  of  interest  was  a  rudely  constructed  scow 
going  to  pieces,  of  which  we  were  told  the  following  story. 
A  widow  with  her  son  and  daughter  had  invested  all  the 
mone}'  they  possessed  in  a  cargo  of  live  stock.  The\'  were  on 
the  scow  and  were  being  towed  by  a  steamer  to  Dawson, 
when  an  accident  took  place  and  the  scow  was  broken.  The 
live  stock  floated  for  a  while  down  the  river,  but  finally 
drowned,  and  the  owners,  sad  and  penniless,  passed  us  on  the 
Ora  3-esterday.  I  forgot  to  mention  that  last  evening  a  man 
came  on  board  with  newspapers  of  the  13th  inst.,  from  Seattle, 
for  which  I  gladly  gave  fifty  cents  ;  read  to  my  sorrow  of  the 
sad  assassination  of  the  beautiful  Empress  of  Austria,  whom 
I  so  greatly  admired  at  a  ball  in  Vienna  in  18.S7.  Another 
item,  which  I  failed  to  understand,  was  headed,  "  Admiral 
Dewey  has  asked  for  reinforcements.  Needs  two  additional 
warships  at  Manila.  Trouble  is  in  sight.  General  Hale 
forces  a  backdown.  Aguinaldo  expects  Americans  to  with- 
draw." All  this  after  private  letters  have  assured  us  that 
the  war  is  a  thing  of  the  past. 

About  one  o'clock  loud  whistles  informed  us  that  the  Dom- 
ville was  rapidly  overtaking  us,  then  came  cheers  from  her 
passengers,  and  groans  from  ours,  as  she  came  alongside  ;  a 
moment  more  and  she  was  forging  ahead.  Ropes  were  held 
toward  us,  and  there  were  derisive  shouts  of  "  Won't  you 
have  a  tow  ?  "  Someone  answered,  "  You  may  laugh  now, 
but  I  '11  bet  yon  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  we  shall  beat 
you  yet."  Another  cried  out,  "  We  '11  take  your  back-wash 
to-day,  but  wait  till  we  get  to  the  Rapids."  A  cornetist  on 
the  Domville  responded  by  pla3'ing  Home,  Sweet  Home.  The 
Virginian  approached,  saying,  "  You  told  me  3'ou  would  like 
to  .see  the  tooth  of  a  mammoth  which  I  found  in  No.  — , 
when  I  was  working  ■a\\  claim  at  bed-rock  twenty-two  feet 
underground,"  and  he  handed  me  a  most  curious-looking 
molar,  with  two  roots  which  seemed  out  of  all  proportion  to 
the  size  of  the  tooth.  "  It  weighs  seven  pounds,  and  I  found 
another  half  that  size  last  year  iu  the  same  claim.     A  full 


414 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


set  o'  them  must  'a'  been  mighty  heavy  for  aii}-  animal  to 
carry  in  his  head."  "  Why  don't  you  present  them  to  the 
Smithsonian?"  said  I.  "  Because  I  'm  going  to  start  a 
museum  in  my  own  state,"  he  answered  with  pride. 

An  hour  later  we  saw  the  Doiiivillc  just  ahead  tied  to  a 
bank,  and  her  passengers  were  all  on  shore  with  axes  in 
hand,  felling  trees  for  fuel.     Our  turn  at  that  operation  would 


THE    DOMVILLE    PASSING    US. 

soon  come,  and  as  the  engines  of  the  Doiiivillc  are  much  more 
powerful  than  ours,  we  knew  that  it  was  only  a  question  of  a 
short  time  before  she  would  overtake  us.  Our  only  hope  in 
a  final  triumph  lay  in  the  fact  that  .she  drew  much  more 
water  than  we,  had  already  been  aground  two  days,  and 
that  we  were  now  to  go  through  many  shallow  places  where 
sand-bars  were  to  be  .seen  on  all  sides. 

We  tried  to  photograph  several  Indian  graves,  which  were 
built  on  the  banks  overlooking  the  water,   the  possessions 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       415 

which  the  departed  ones  had  most  prized  being  hung  in  plain 
view  of  all  passers-by.  At  last,  as  the  moon  rose  in  full 
glory,  we  tied  to  a  bank,  near  the  cabin  of  the  Arctic  Ex- 
press Company,  to  take  on  fuel.  There  is  great  variety 
even  in  this  work.  Last  night  some  of  our  passengers  felled 
trees,  while  others  made  an  enormous  bonfire  about  them. 
To-night  we  find  the  wood  all  cut  and  stacked  in  cords  on 
the  bank.  The  men  form  two  lines  which  lead  from  the 
wood-pile  down  the  bank  across  the  gangplank  on  to  the 
deck  ;  the  one  nearest  the  wood,  or  rather  the  ones  at  the 
head  of  each  line,  seize  a  long,  heavy  log,  pass  it  on  to  the 
next,  and  so  it  goes  from  arm  to  arm  until  it  is  landed  near 
the  engine-room.  There  is  great  rivalrj'  between  the  two 
captains  as  to  which  one  can  pass  down  the  greater  number 
of  logs,  and  the  way  in  which  it  is  handed  over  causes  amuse- 
ment and  sometimes  evokes  shouts  of  laughter.  Some  mean 
business,  and  are  in  a  hurrj',  others  play  to  the  gallerj^  (the 
women  on  deck)  and  take  the  log  carefully  in  arms  as  though 
it  were  a  bab}- ;  others  pounce  upon  it  as  a  cat  upon  a  mouse; 
but  no  matter  in  what  wav  it  is  done,  't  is  quickly  done,  and 
we  are  off  in  eager  chase  of  the  Doinvilk. 

The  moon,  which  was  high  and  beautiful,  caused  the  cap- 
tain to  vow  that  he  would  run  all  night.  The  passengers, 
all  excitement,  were  in  the  bow  straining  their  eyes  for  the 
object  of  the  chase.  Just  out  of  sight  !  so  the  captain  decided 
on  a  short-cut  through  shoal  water.  We  were  speedily  gain- 
ing, when  we  felt  the  well-known  crunching  sound,  and  with 
one  voice  shouted  "  aground,"  while  from  below  came  the 
cry  of"  Stuck  !  "  Backing  began  but  was  useless,  so  the  ma- 
chinery for  getting  off  was  brought  into  requisition  with  such 
success  that  in  a  few  moments  came  the  cry,  "  She  's  off"." 
"  Get  your  pole  and  take  .soundings,"  shouted  the  captain, 
as  we  advanced  slowly.  "  Four  feet,  three  feet  six,  three 
feet,"  she  's  stuck.  "  That  beats  me  !  "  he  cried,  "  how  she 
can  be  stuck  in  three  feet  of  water  ;  she  's  done  three  feet  and 
less  many  a  time  and  how  she  can  get  stuck  here  is  more  'n 
I  can  make  out."  "  Perhaps  it  's  only  her  belly  that  's 
caught,"  suggested  another  of  the  captains,  who  were  all 


4i6         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

gathered  together  around  the  pilot-house,  each  one  aching 
to  take  the  wheel.  "  Push  her  on  a  bit."  But  it  was  no 
use,  so  after  many  unsuccessful  trials  we  had  to  beat  an 
ignominious  retreat  and  go  around  the  Lsland  to  the  deeper 
channel  through  which  the  Do>/i7'///e  had  successfully  passed. 
"  It  's  all  the  fault  of  them  hoodoos  we  took  from  the  Dodi- 
villc  ;  we  'd  never  'a'  been  aground  but  for  that,"  were  the 
mutterings  we  heard  on  all  sides. 

Inquiries  were  made  and  we  found  that  one  woman  anJ 
three  men,  fearing  that  the  Domvilk  could  not  finish  the 
trip,  and  having  great  faith  in  the  powers  of  the  Flora,  had 
paid  their  passage  money  over  again  in  order  to  come  with 
us.  We  soon  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  woman,  whose 
storj-  interested  us.  She  had  been  caught  in  the  ice  before, 
and  was  determined  not  to  have  a  similar  experience  if  it 
could  be  avoided,  so,  said  she,  "  although  I  had  a  bunk  in 
the  Doinvillc,  and  have  only  the  barroom  table  on  which  to 
sleep  here,  I  preferred  to  change.  It  was  very  lively  on  the 
Domvilk.  There  were  six  bunks  in  my  cabin,  and  there  were 
six  women  on  board.  On  ray  side  Swiftwater  Bill's  house- 
keeper had  the  bottom  one  ;  she  's  onl}-  a  tiny  little  thing 
and  could  scarcely  close  her  eyes  because  the  woman  in  the 
bunk  above  her  weighed  over  two  hundred  pounds,  and 
every  time  she  turned  it  seemed  like  she  was  going  to  fall 
through  ;  she  said  she  kept  her  hands  up  most  all  the  time 
to  ward  her  off ;  but  we  asked  her  what  good  her  little  hands 
could  do  against  such  a  weight  as  that. 

"  My  bunk  was  over  the  fat  woman  ;  on  the  other  side  were 
Elise  and  another  woman.  The  sixth  lady  had  an  invalid 
husband,  and  preferred  sleeping  outside  with  him,  even  if  it 
was  among  the  men,  and  that  took  the  bunk  away  from  a  poor 
fellow;  when  we  found  that  he  had  had  no  place  to  .sleep  for 
two  nights,  we  all  felt  so  sorry  for  him  we  told  him  that  after 
we  were  in  bed,  he  might  roll  up  in  his  blankets  in  the  top 
bunk  if  he  would  keep  his  back  turned,  and  you  can  imagine 
he  was  grateful  !  Such  is  life  on  the  Yukon,  in  some  cases 
and  places  !  Elise  was  having  a  beautiful  time  on  board. 
She  taught  W — —  to  play  cards   and    would   keep  it  up 


The  Race  with  the  "  Uomville  "       417 

sometimes  till  5  a.m.  The  first  night  she  won  fifty  dollars  ; 
but  the  second  she  lost  over  two  hundred  dollars,  and  swore 
she  would  n't  pay ;  but  one  of  the  men  she  owed  vowed  he  'd 
sell  the  clothes  off  her  back  if  she  did  n't  pay  him,  and  I 

don't  know  how  it  will  end.      A M had  all  his  plans 

made  to  change  to  this  steamer,  but  the  captain  took  it 
greath'  to  heart  and  swore  that  he  "d  land  him  safely  even 
if  he  had  to  break  the  boat  to  pieces,  so  he  finally  prevailed 
upon  him  to  remain." 

During  the  day  the  Virginian  pointed  out  to  me  some 
horses  going  along  a  very  good  trail.  We  watched  them 
with  interest,  and  were  finally  told  that  they  belonged  to 

Jack  D and  his  party,  and  had  eighty  thousand  dollars' 

worth  of  gold  on  their  backs.  We  soon  saw  the  famous  Jack 
tramping  over  his  well-known  Pass,  and  manj-  stories  were 
told  of  his  life  and  adventures.  One  of  the  passengers  pre- 
sented me  with  a  Klondike  cup  made  from  a  tin  can. 
E had  been  telling  a  couple  of  passengers  of  our  Cus- 
tom House  experiences,  when  suddenh-  one  of  them  said, 
■"  Will  you  make  an  affidavit  to  that  effect  ?  as  we  are  ex- 
pecting as  passenger  a  man  who  has  been  .sent  out  to  inquire 
into  just  such  actions." 

Wednesday,  September  2Sth. 
A  little  before  nine  o'clock  the  steward  appeared  with  a 
cup  of  cocoa,  saying,  "  I  've  been  trying  to  get  here  all  the 
morning,  but  have  already  fed  over  eighty,  have  many  more 
to  feed,  and  have  to  get  a  lady  out  who  slept  in  the  bar." 
At  nine,  one  of  the  "  boj'S  "  began  a  lust}-  song,  but  was 
interrupted  on  all  sides  by  shouts  of  "  Too  early  in  the 
morning  !  "  "  Don't  !  you  '11  break  my  head  !  "  "  We  '11 
throw  you  overboard  and  never  give  you  a  line."  "  Why, 
I  'm  just  feeling  good,"  .said  the  poor  fellow.  "  So  are  we  ; 
but  we  're  not  shouting  it."  The  next  sounds  brought  to 
■our  bunks  were,  "  She  '11  not  overtake  us  again — bet  you 
•drinks."  "  Oh,  that 's  the  first  thing  I  heard  this  morning, 
'  We  've  beat  the  DomviUc  !  we  've  beat  Xhe.  Donnille  I '  so 
I  says,  To  h —  with  the  DomviUc  I  and  let  a  fellow  sleep. 


4iS         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

r.et  her  get  ahead — who  cares  !  " — "  Guess  you  'd  care  a  lot 
if  she  passed  us  and  got  stuck  in  the  Rapids,  where  the 
chanuel  is  so  narrow  that  we  never  could  pass  her  again."  — 
"  What  you  feelin'  so  good  about  this  morning  ?  You  ain't 
got  all  the  gold  dust  aboard  this  here  craft.  By  George  !  the 
fellers  what  's  got  eddercation  seems  to  tiiink  that  they  own 
the  earth,  but  they  ain't  in  it  with  the  fellers  what  can't 
read  an'  write.  It  takt;s  them  to  make  their  pile  everj-  time, 
and  they  're  the  only  Klondike  Kings.  Yes,  you,  for  ex- 
ample, you  're  doin'  so  much  talkin' — what  have  you  got  in 
your  sack  ?  " — "  Well,  I  've  got  just  that  much  that  when  I 
get  to  Seattle  I  'm  going  to  light  my  cigars  with  five-dollar 
bills,  ten,  too,  if  I  like."  "  Good  reason  why  !  "  interrupted 
a  loud  voice  ;  "  his  bills  is  all  counterfeits  ;  he  knows  the 
police  has  got  onto  it  and  he  thinks  the  quicker  he  gits  rid 
o'  them  the  better." — "  That  's  where  you  're  wrong.  It 's 
with  good  U.  S.  greenbacks  my  cigars  are  to  be  lighted, 
every  time.  I  've  got  money  to  burn,  and  I  'm  a-goin'  to 
burn  it  too." — "  Well,  then  we  '11  come  with  our  shooting- 
irons  and  take  aim  at  your  feet." 

Scarcely  had  I  appeared  upon  deck  when  a  comfortable 
seat  was  made  for  me  out  of  a  bag  filled  with  blankets,  and 
placed  in  front  of  the  pilot-house.  The  view  was  fine,  and 
the  sun  resplendent,  taking  the  severe  chill  from  the  air. 
On  the  other  side  of  the  island  the  DoinviUe  was  going  at 
full  speed.  We  were  both  bound  for  the  same  point  in  the 
centre  of  the  channel.  Her  powerful  engines  were  doing 
their  work  well,  and  we  soon  saw  that  we  were  again  to  have 
the  "  back-wash,"  in  Yukon  language.  "  Let  's  go  down 
below,  so  they  '11  see  no  one  to  shout  to." — "  Look  at  that 
broom  up  at  her  top.  That  's  a  sign  they  mean  to  sweep  us 
off  the  face  of  the  earth.  They  can  go  now,  but  we  '11  beat 
them  in  .shallow  water,"  etc.,  etc.  "  Don't  you  think  a 
little  e.xercise  would  do  you  good  ?  "  said  the  Virginian  to 
m?  ;  "  we  're  going  to  stop  at  a  cattle-yard,  and  if  you  've 
never  .seen  one  in  Alaska  j-ou  might  find  it  of  interest. 
Afraid  to  climb  the  bank  ?  Nonsense  !  I  '11  help  you  up." 
The  deck  was  covered  with  wood,  over  which  the  kind  fellow 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       419 

assisted  me  to  scramble.  We  eiijoj-ed  a  short  but  delightful 
tramp  through  a  most  picturesque  spot,  while  the  new 
purser  was  laj'ing  in  provisions  for  the  extra  number  of 
passengers. 

The  whistle  sounded,  and  we  rushed  on  board,  feeling 
much  better  for  the  exercise.  The  Virginian  seated  himself 
by  me  and  told  me  a  story  of  the  only  lynching  scene  he  had 
ever  witnessed  during  his  ten  years'  stay  in  this  country.  A 
young  Indian  had  been  kindly  entertained  by  a  poor  old  white 
man  ;  in  return  for  which  he  shot  him,  stole  his  boat  and 
provisions,  and  escaped  :  but  the  old  man's  friends  were  soon 
on  his  track.  Meeting  one  of  the  Alaska  Commercial  Com- 
pany's boats,  they  told  the  story  to  the  captain,  begging  him 
to  turn  back  and  with  the  help  of  his  powerful  engines  to 
assist  them  in  overtaking  the  assassin,  but  the  captain  was 
loyal  to  tiie  company,  and  refused.  Putting  their  own  men 
in  pilot-house  and  engine-room,  they  turned  the  boat  back 
until  they  reached  their  destination,  then  landed,  and  fol- 
lowed the  murderer  for  miles  until  thej'  discovered  his 
hiding-place.  They  told  their  story  to  his  tribe,  and  the 
murderer  was  immediately  delivered  up  to  the  lynching 
party,  who  made  short  work  of  him,  and  thus  justice  was 
satisfied. 

At  11.30  a  cry  went  up,  "The  Domville  's  aground 
again  !  "  Such  shouts,  yells,  and  cat-calls  as  we  slowly 
overtook  her  !  Her  passengers  were  on  shore,  and  two 
carpenters  were  mending  her  broken  wheel.  How  our  men 
tried  to  rival  each  other  in  such  consoling  remarks  as  the 
following  :  "  What  are  you  going  to  do  on  .shore?  Tend 
sheep?"  "Be  men!  stand  up,  don't  get  discouraged; 
we  '11  send  the  Flora  back  for  you,  perhaps."  "  Why  don't 
you  walk  ahead  and  show  the  Domville  where  the  rocks  are, 
so  she  won't  break  her  wheel  again  ?  "  "  We  '11  send  you 
a  box  of  oranges  from  Southern  California,  for  j-ou  '11  never 
see  the  States  again."  As  we  were  passing  out  of  hearing 
someone  improvised  a  song  which  he  shouted  lustily  and 
which  the  others  caught  up  with  such  a  will  that  the  words 
must  have  been  borne  back  to  the  unfortunates  : 


420         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

"  There  '11  come  a  time  some  day, 
When  the  Domville  will  get  away." 

"  Do  trim  ship,"  shotited  our  captain  ;  "  whj-  do  you  all 
want  to  stay  on  same  side  ?  Did  you  never  see  a  steamer 
stranded  before  ?  Can't  you  see  we  're  approaching  the  Rink 
Rapids  ?  How  can  the  sailors  hear  my  orders  if  you  keep 
jabbering  so?"  All  this  was  uttered  in  such  an  excited 
tone,  that  quiet  soon  reigned  as  we  found  ourselves  in  the 
unusually  low  water  of  the  Rink  Rapids,  and  heard  the  calls 
six  feet,  five  feet  six,  five,  four  feet  six,  four  and  a  half,  five, 
six,  and  then  the  suspense  was  over.  Some  one  caught  .sight 
of  a  Domville  passenger  who  had  wandered  far  away  from 
his  companions,  and  shouted,  "  Where  you  goin'  ?  Lone- 
some ?  Better  come  on  board,  we  '11  give  you  a  lift.  Come 
on,  gentlemen,"  (as  they  caught  sight  of  others, )  "  we  've  got 
plenty  of  good  grub.  Well,  good-bye,  if  you  won't  ;  we  '11 
tell  them  that  we  saw  j-ou."  "  Do  you  gentlemen  never  get 
tired  ?  When  we  're  in  a  bad  place  like  this  yoti  'd  onghter 
keep  quiet,"  shouted  the  poor  captain  ;  "  'cause  we  ain't  out 
o'  danger  yet." 

An  hour  afterwards  we  stopped  at  a  lonely  spot  to  let  a 
passenger  disembark.  First  one  man  and  then  another  ap- 
peared, as  though  from  underground,  until  a  dozen  or  more 
were  waiting  to  greet  him.  "  Captain,  will  you  wait  five 
minutes,  please  ?  Sandy  wants  to  go  this  trip  with  you,  and 
he  's  running  as  hard  as  he  can  to  get  his  bag."  "  All 
right,"  said  the  captain.  The  five  minutes  had  almost  ex- 
pired when  we  saw  Sandy  in  the  distance,  making  good 
time,  though  heavily  laden  ;  the  silent  men  stood  on  the 
bank,  and  as  he  approached,  stepped  up  one  by  one  to  give 
him  a  last  grasp — it  seemed  a  life  parting.  He  jumped  on 
board,  the  ropes  were  cast  oflf,  and  we  were  under  way  when 
one  of  the  silent  ones  called  out,  "  May  we  speak  to  the  cap- 
tain ?  "  "  What  do  you  want  ?  "  "  Can  you  let  us  have  an 
injector?  "  "  Do  you  think  we  're  a  travelling  hardware 
shop?"  he  shouted  in  reply,  but,  although  his  voice  was 
harsh,  he  was  consulting  with  others  as  to  whether  one  could 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       421 

be  spared  on  the  return  trip.  A  passenger  quietly  remarked, 
"  Well,  to  think  o'  them  durned  fools  standing  there  like 
statues  an'  never  askin'  for  what  they  wanted  until  we  was 
almost  out  o'  heariu'.     Don't  it  beat  all  ?  " 

"  We  '11  soon  be  at  Five  Fingers,"  said  the  Virginian, 
approaching,  "  where  we  have  a  drop  and  a  narrow  passage 
to  go  through  between  the  rocks — so  narrow  that  the  steamer 


FIVE    FINGERS. 

must  graze  either  side.  Everyone  has  to  get  off  and  walk 
around."  "  Even  the  women  ?  "  said  I,  in  alarm.  "  Even  the 
women;  but  j'ou  won't  mind  it,  it 's  a  nice,  easy  trail.  "  Watch- 
ing with  anxiety  as  we  approached  the  nice,  easy  trail,  I  saw 
high  hills  to  climb  and  rocks,  then  a  sharp  descent.  The  Flora 
was  tied  up  to  a  bank.  "  Must  we  get  off.  Captain  ?  "  said  I. 
"  Not  if  you  will  sit  perfectly  quiet,"  So  with  a  sigh  of  re- 
lief, we  watched  the  eighty  or  more  passengers  cross  the  gang- 
plank and  begin  their  scramble  up  the  hillside.     Someone 


4^2         Two  \\^omen  in  the  Klondike 

called  Ivan  and  I  made  no  objection,  thinking  the  exercise 
would  be  of  benefit,  so  off  he  ran,  following  the  procession. 
The  gangplank  was  hauled  in,  and  we  started  on  our  perilous 
trip.  Soon  we  were  in  the  whirl,  and  dashing  between  the 
gigantic  rocks.  As  we  touched  the  one  on  the  port  men  were 
ready  with  long  poles  to  push  her  off  ;  scarcely  had  they  done 
so  than  the  captain  shouted,  "  Pole  her  off  on  the  star- 
board !  "  They  had  but  just  time  to  obey  the  order  when  we 
ran  so  close  to  a  partially  hidden  rock  that  we  .shuddered  as 
we  saw  the  water  rippling  over  it.  "  Well  done,  Captain," 
was  shouted  on  all  sides  as  we  found  ourselves  once  more  in 
smooth  water,  and  looked  up  to  see  our  fellow  passengers 
wending  their  way  in  Indian  file  along  the  banks.  Some 
on  high  rocks  were  taking  snap-shots  of  the  Flora  in  her 
perilous  trip,  some  on  the  pebbh'  beach  were  waiting  to  come 
on  board,  but,  although  the  entire  line  was  distinctly  visible, 
there  was  no  sign  of  Ivan.  We  shouted  for  him  and  the 
passengers  took  up  the  call  and  whistled  ;  still  no  sign  of 
the  noble  beast.  One  of  the  crew  then  said  :  "  We  never 
wait  for  a  dog;   four  were  left  here  last  time." 

I  rushed  to  the  captain,  who,  notwithstanding  his  gruff 
voice,  was  indeed  most  kindly  disposed.     He  said,   "  It  's 

against  the  rules  to  wait,  but  the  manager,  Mr.  F ,  has 

gone  back  for  the  dog,  and  I  can't  leave  without  him." 
Sure  enough,  there  over  the  hill,  tramping  back  for  Ivan, 

were  not  only  Mr.  F ,  but  two  or  three  others.     But  they 

called  and  shouted  in  vain.  Ivan  had  gone  back  to  the  spot 
on  which  he  had  landed,  and  was  waiting  for  the  return  of 
the  Flora,  and  could  not  be  inveigled  into  deserting  his  post. 
They  finally  had  to  catch  him,  tie  their  handkerchiefs 
around  him  and  drag  him  back.  As  they  came  into  view 
they  waved  their  hats,  and  shouted,  "  All  right,"  and  we 
felt  the  deepest  gratitude  towards  the  men  who  had  so 
kindly  taken  the  long  tramp.  Everyone  on  board  expressed 
pleasure,  and  no  one  objected  to  the  detention,  with  one  ex- 
ception, and  that,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  came  from  a  woman, 
who  said,  "  What  a  shame  to  lose  Jijkcn  minutes  waiting 
for  a  dog  !  ' ' 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       4-3 

One  of  the  passengers  had  a  long  stick  with  a  string  tied 
to  one  end  and  a  cup  to  the  string.  "  What  's  that  for  ?  " 
called  one  of  his  friends.  "  What  '11  you  have?"  he  re- 
plied ;  "  a  glass  of  lemonade  ?  " — "  No,  a  gin  cocktail."  — 
"  Can't  give  it  to  you  :  nothing  but  lemonade  at  this  bar." 
— "  All  right,  I  Ml  take  that."  Down  went  the  fishing-pole 
until  the  cup  touched  the  Yukon  River,  filled,  and  was 
drawn  up  again.  From  the  fisherman's  pocket  came  out  a 
bottle  of  lemonade  tablets,  from  which  one  was  extracted 
and  put  in  the  cup,  which  was  then  handed  to  the  waiting 
man,  with  instructions  to  stir  with  a  lead-pencil. 

"  Look  at  the  bear  !  "  was  the  next  cry.  "  No — sheep." — 
"  I  '11  bet  you  drinks." — "  All  right — done."  We  rounded 
the  point,  and  there  on  the  banks,  on  the  hilltops,  every- 
where ill  sight,  were  sheep  grazing  as  though  at  home,  but 
look  where  we  would,  there  was  no  shepherd  in  sight.  An- 
other Yukon  mystery  !  Was  the  scow  lost  ?  Was  the  owner 
dead  ?  Did  the  sheep  swim  to  shore  ?  There  was  no  way 
to  solve  the  mystery.  We  stopped  for  wood,  which  was 
lying  on  the  bank  already  cut.  "  Lucky  the  Doiuvillc  AiA  n't 
come  along  first,  as  there  's  mighty  little  to  be  had  now  be- 
tween here  and  the  end  o'  our  journey,"  said  one  of  the 
boatmen. 

E retired  at  eight  to  get  warm,  so  I  took  her  place 

by  the  stovepipe  under  the  awning,  where  I  was  soon 
joined  by  the  Australian.  He  has  been  prospecting  all  over 
Alaska,  but  has  found  nothing  to  compare  with  Western 
Australia,  where  the  mines,  he  declares,  offer  greater  chances 
for  investment  than  any  others.  He  strongly  advi.sed  a  trip 
throughout  that  part  of  the  world,  leaving  Sydney  and  Mel- 
bourne until  the  last,  and  said  that  the  accommodations  were 
generally  good  and  inexpensive.  We  were  interrupted  b}' 
cries  and  exclamations — the  beautiful  Northern  Lights  were 
vying  in  splendour  with  the  moon  ;  three  long,  golden  rain- 
bow-shaped orl)s  filled  the  heavens  with  glory,  and  kept  us 
silent  with  admiration. 


424         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Thursday,  September  29tb. 

Wakened  at  six.  Boat  motionless  ;  no  sound  of  the  axe 
nor  of  piling  wood  on  board  ;  no  calls  of  six  feet,  five,  four, 
three,  so  we  are  not  aground  and  working  to  get  off.     What 


MILES    CANON. 

can  it  be  ?  I  unlatch  the  hook  and  peep  out  ;  the  small  cabin 
immediately  fills  with  a  fog  so  dense  that  for  a  while  nothing 
can  be  seen,  then  we  distinguish  the  railing  covered  with 
frost.  An  hour  passes  by  and  the  tops  of  the  trees  become 
visible.  At  eight  the  sun's  powerful  rays  pierce  the  density. 
Soon  the  banks  appear,   finally  the  battle  is  won,  the  fog 


The  Race  with  the  "  Domville  "       4-5 

beats  a  slow  retreat,  and  we  are  in  the  full  glory  of  sunshine 
which  one  never  so  much  appreciates  in  any  other  part  of  the 
world.  We  steam  slowly  ahead,  close  to  the  banks.  One 
could  imagine  one.self  in  Florida,  as  the  frost  has  given  to 
the  trees  the  colouring  of  those  covered  with  the  grey  moss 
so  well  known  on  the  St.  John's  and  Indian  Rivers.  The 
chilliness  of  the  air  and  the  falling  of  cinders  contribute  to 
a  feeling  of  laziness  which  keeps  all  hands  in  their  bunks. 
There  is  loud  talking  on  every  side,  but  no  tramping  of 
decks. 

At  ten  o'clock,  the  lad}-  who  bunks  on  the  barroom  table 
appeared  at  the  door,  saying,  "  Oh  my  !  but  you  're  lazy  ! 
No  you  ain't,  though,"  she  adds,  as  she  sees  in  both  upper 
and  lower  berths  pens  flying  over  paper.  "  What  are  you 
writing  —  love  stories?" — "Far  from  it." — "Something 
about  me?  " — "  Have  n't  begun  on  you  A-et." — "  Well,  I  '11 
give  you  m\'  pedigree  from  way  back,  when  you  're  ready  for 

it."     A  moment  after  we  heard  Mrs.  T and  Mrs.  H 

in  the  adjoining  cabin  being  accused  of  laziness,  so  inferred 
that  they  also  dreaded  the  iciness  to  be  found  outside,  and 
preferred  remaining  in  their  bunks.  At  10.30  we  tied  up  for 
a  short  while,  but  knew  not  the  reason  whj',  as  the  land  was 
not  on  our  side.  We  were  rather  amused  last  night  upon 
being  told  that  our  big  boxes,  which  are  stowed  in  the  hold 
are  being  used  as  beds  by  some  of  the  men.  "  as  the)-  are  so 
nice  and  soft,"  was  added. 

At  11.30  the  Golden  Star  (which  we  strongh-  suspect  of 
having  been  the  Mar  West)  passed  us  on  her  way  to  Dawson. 
The  few  who  were  on  deck  responded  to  the  cheers  of  thn.se 
who  are  to  be  prisoners  for  the  winter.  With  door  .slightly 
ajar  we  watched  her  from  our  bunks.     Suddenly  there  was 

a   crack,   and    the   board    which    supported    E 's   bunk 

partly  gave  way  :  a  rip,  and  the  canvas  upon  which  she 
was  lying  began  to  tear  from  the  nails.  In  an  instant 
the  door  was  locked  and  she  was  dressing.  Hardly  had 
she  been  on  deck  five  minutes  when  she  called  back, 
"It  's  not  cold  out  at  all,  and  the  cinders  are  falling  on 
the  other  side,  so  you  had  better  come   up."      Her   sug- 


426         Two  W^omen  in  the  Klondike 

gestion  came  in  good  time,  as  the  canvas  holding  my 
mattress  had  also  given  way  and  I  was  resting  on  the  life- 
preservers  that  were  stacked  under  the  bunk.  Towards 
evev.ing  we  saw  in  the  distance  many  cords  of  wood.  The 
cry  was,  "  Don't  let  the  Doinvillc  get  it,  whether  we  need 
it  or  not."  We  stopped,  but  were  alale  to  add  only  three 
cords  to  the  load  we  already  had,  so  man}-  were  the  groans 
at  leaving  arms  to  aid  the  enemy  in  beating  us.  One  lone 
woman  stood  on  the  bank,  and  holding  a  paper  novel  high  in 
air,  called  out,  "  Will  anyone  exchange  a  book  with  me  ?  " 
It  was  quickly  done,  and  many  were  the  expressions  of  sym- 
pathy as  she  was  left  alone  in  that  dreary  spot,  but  her  face 
was  wreathed  in  smiles  as  she  waved  adieu  and  the  Flora 
passed  out  of  sight. 

"  Do  you  know  that  Mrs.  '  Domville'  has  just  sold  one  of 
her  claims  for  fifty  thousand  dollars  ?  "  said  one  of  the  pas- 
sengers to  me.  We  have  christened  thus  the  deserter  from 
the  Domville.  Immediately  I  became  interested  and  desir- 
ous to  know  how  in  three  months  she  had  been  so  suc- 
cessful. My  curiosity  was  soon  gratified,  as  she  came  and 
seated  herself  beside  me  and  began  to  talk.  "  I  did  more 
walking  than  any  other  woman  this  summer,"  said  she. 
"  Have  onl}'  been  in  a  few  months,  but  staked  out  two  good 
claims  and  have  just  sold  one  for  nearly  five  thousand  dol- 
lars." "And  the  other?"  I  queried. — "Oh,  I  have  that 
still."     And  so  another  Yukon  exaggeration  was  nailed  on 

the  head.     "  Mr.  L (the  Virginian)  has  been  awfully 

good  to  me,"  she  continued:  "  I  cooked  for  him  all  snmmer." 

The  captain's  wife  then  came  to  inquire  if  she  could  do 
anything  for  me.  She  was  a  tender,  delicate  little  woman, 
waiting  on  everybody,  doing  the  work  of  ten  men,  every- 
where at  once,  always  smiling,  and,  notwithstanding  the 
close  quarters  and  the  many  times  she  was  called  upon  not 
only  to  give  up  her  bunk  but  also  her  blankets,  was  ever  in 
good  humour.  I  scolded  her  for  coming  from  the  close 
quarters  bt'low  to  the  icy  air  above  without  a  wrap,  saying 
that  she  cared  little  for  her  health,  whereupon  she  gave  me 


The  Race  with  the  "  Doniville  "       4-7 

a  short  sketch  of  the  ^-ear  or  more  that  she  had  just  spent  in 
the  hospital,  never  expecting  to  come  out  alive.  Such  cour- 
age as  she  has  shown  is  rarely  seen.  The  purser  next 
joined  us,  saj-ing,  "  Well,  I  shall  be  glad  to  turn  in  at  ten 
o'clock.  I  have  loaned  my  bunk  all  day,  three  hours  at  a 
time  to  each  fellow,  and  the  last  one  got  it  at  seven.  I  hate 
to  waken  him,  but  am  dead  tired  myself  Poor  fellows,  they 
are  thankful  even  to  have  the  space  to  lie  down  on  deck, 
after  everyone  has  retired." 

Friday,  September  30th. 

The  glorious  rays  of  the  moon  were  not  onl}-  beautiful,  but 
also  of  such  assistance  that  the  Flora  was  enabled  to  run  all 
night.  By  six  o'clock  men  were  seated  outside  the  door  and 
the  following  conversation  was  overheard,  "  Well,  we  '11  soon 
reach  the  caiion.  I  came  through  it  in  a  scow.  If  a  fellow 
once  falls  in  he  can't  get  out  without  help.  I  saw  a  fellow 
trying  to  row  out  for  forty-six  hours." — "  I  saw  a  scow  go 
to  pieces  there  and  two  fellows  go  down  like  a  shot.  They  'd 
'a'  been  all  right  if  they  'd  'a'  stuck  to  the  wreck,  but  some 
one  threw  out  a  rope  and  they  tried  to  get  to  it,  lost  it,  and 
went  down.  Once  you  fall  in,  you  're  dead." — "  Not  much  ! 
I  swam  all  through  it,  and  here  I  am." — "  Bet  you  're  the 
only  fellow  who  ever  did  it  and  lived  to  tell  the  tale."  — 
"  You  have  to  work  like  the  devil  to  escape  the  whirlpools  ; 
if  you  ever  get  in  them  it  's  all  day  with  you." — "  Ever  been 
up  the  Klondike  ?  " — "  Was  up  it  eighteen  times  this  sum- 
mer. Falls  pretty  fast,  and  my,  what  a  current  !  Been  over 
all  these  rivers  for  five  years  and  never  got  a  thing  wet  until 
I  got  on  to  the  Klondike." — "  W^ell,  White  River  's  a  h —  of 
a  hard  river.  Always  muddy,  and  you  can't  tell  where 
you  're  at." 

Just  here  ]\Irs,  "Domville"  opened  the  door  and  said, 
"Why,   it  's  nine  o'clock;    are  n't   you  ladies  up  yet?" 

"  No,"   said  E ;    "I'm  waiting  for  my  coffee  ;    they 

seem  to  have  forgotten  it."  "  I  '11  go  right  down  and  get 
it  for  you,"  said  the  kind  little  woman  ;  she  soon  returned. 


428         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

holding  the  cup  by  the  handle,  saj'ing,  "  It  was  impossible 
to  find  a  saucer  or  anything  else."      Fortified  by  coffee, 

E was  soon  out  on  deck  and  under  the  awning  which 

one  of  her  admirers  rigged  up  for  her  dailj-. 

The  captain's  wife  came  as  usual  to  proffer  her  services, 
and  presented  me  with  a  gold  blower  made  from  a  coffee- 
can  by  the  same  man  who  had  made  the  Klondike  cup  from 
a  tin  can.  "  I  am  going  to  get  him  to  make  you  a  Klondike 
cindlestick  next,"  said  she.  "  Will  he  take  pay  for  them  ?  " 
I  asked. — "  Oh,  no  !  he  's  a  real  nice  man,  and  just  loves  to 
do  it." 

The  last  few  days  there  has  been  no  opportunity  for 
writing.  Events  have  crowded  upon  each  other  so  fast  that 
they  leave  little  detailed  impression  upon  the  memory. 
"  Hootalinqua  Post,"  "  Thirty  Mile  River,"  "  Canadians  in 
winter  quarters,"  have  been  jotted  down  as  objects  of  inter- 
est €71  passant.  Then  came  a  morning  on  the  little  Nora, 
whose  side  decks  were  so  very  narrow  that  men  had  great 
difficulty  in  using  the  common  wash  basin  and  maintaining 
their  equilibrium.  Suddenly  there  was  a  shout  of  "  dog 
overboard"  and  a  splash  was  heard  in  the  water;  as  the 
engine  was  stopped  and  the  steamer  backed,  I  rushed  to  see 

that  Ivan  was  safe.     Just  then  the  head  of  ex-Mayor  W 

appeared  and  he  began  to  strike  out  boldly  for  shore  through 
the  icj'  water.  Fortunately  he  was  a  good  swimmer,  as  the 
life-buoy  thrown  to  him  went  wide  of  the  mark,  and  he  soon 
landed  on  the  barren  shore,  which,  in  that  particular  spot 
was  not  quite  so  rocky  and  inaccessible  as  elsewhere.  The 
passengers  were  all  deeply  relieved  as  the  steamer  sheered 
alongside  and  he  was  assisted  on  board.  Men  crowded 
around  him  all  anxious  to  "  rub  him  down  "  and  dose  him 
with  remedies,  but,  although  shivering,  he  laughingly  as- 
sured them  that  no  harm  had  been  done,  and  that  his  bath 
was  onh'  a  few  degrees  colder  than  usual,  and  that  he  felt  no 
anxiety  in  regard  to  his  sudden  immersion. 

There  was  no  one  on  board  to  bring  us  water  or  to  care  for 
our  cabins,  so  we  impressed  into  our  service  one  of  the  men 


o 


430 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


who  was  working  his  passage,  in  order  to  get  out  of  the 
country,  and  had  him  thoroughly  clean  for  us  an  empty  lard 
pail  which  was  about  to  be  thrown  overboard  ;  by  attaching 
a  rope  to  this,  we  could  lower  it  from  outside  our  door  and 
have  fresh  water  from  the  Yukon  as  often  as  we  pleased. 


CHAPTER   XXX 

THE    FIRST    PORTAGE 

ON  Saturda}-,  October  ist,  we  were  told  to  prepare  our 
bags  and  be  ready  for  a  tramp.  We  were  soon  tied 
up  to  the  bank  where  we  were  to  make  the  portage.  Flat 
cars — truck  cars  probably  the\'  would  be  called,  as  they  had 
no  railing,  only  a  piece  at  the  back  to  hold  the  boxes — were 
drawn  each  by  one  horse,  and  exclamations  of  surprise  were 
elicited  as  one  heavy  box  after  another  was  added  to  the  car. 
The  driver  said,  however,  "  Why,  these  horses  can  carry  a 
ton  each."  The  other  passengers  walked  the  four  and  a  half 
miles  over  a  fine  road  with  most  gorgeous  scenerj-,  while  I, 
mounted  on  top  of  bags,  shawl-straps,  and  boxes,  sat  on  the 
last  of  the  seven  cars  with  an  umbrella  over  ni)'  head  to  pro- 
tect me  from  the  rays  of  the  sun,  which  were  rather  powerful 
as  we  emerged  from  time  to  time  from  the  protection  of  the 
few  shade  trees. 

Along  b}'  the  rushing,  dashing,  foaming  torrent  of  White 
Horse  Rapids,  we  wound  our  waj'  for  a  time,  then  came  a 
cut  through  a  bit  of  woods.  The  driver  entertained  me 
with  a  short  history  of  the  road  and  of  himself,  as  he  stopped 
to  put  in  a  more  secure  position  the  gold-box  containing 
several  hundred  thousand  dollars.  The  road  was  begun  last 
May,  cost  onlj'  about  three  thousand  dollars,  and  belongs 
to  a  company  of  ten  men  who  have  taken  in  twenty  thousand 
dollars  in  the  short  time  it  has  been  running.  The  rails 
are  of  wood  instead  of  steel  iror  on.  Each  driver  receives 
four  dollars  and  fifty  cents  daily,  with  board,  and  fifty  cents 

431 


432 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


an  hour  for  overwork.  "  I  've  always  been  a  jockey,"  said 
my  driver,  "  and  all  my  brothers  are  jockeys,  but  this  pays 
better  than  the  jockeying  business,  where  you  've  plenty  one 
day  and  nothing  the  next,  and  I  've  already  laid  by  several 
thousand  dollars  ;  besides,  I  've  broken  every  horse  the  com- 
pany uses,  and  get  five  dollars  apiece  for  them.     Perhaps 


PORTAGE    BETWEEN    LAKES. 


you  would  n't  believe  it  of  thesse  meek-looking  animals,  but 
they  never  had  a  collar  on  before  I  took  them  in  charge." 

We  were  soon  at  the  foot  of  quite  a  little  hill.  Here  all 
the  cars  were  waiting,  the  horses  were  unhitched,  and  two 
taken  to  haul  the  heavy  load  up  the  steep  incline.  I  jumped 
down  and  walked  on,  having  already  been  a  bit  nervous  as 
"we  skirted  the  edge  of  the  precipice,  where  the  car  tipped  a 
little  towards  the  dashing  torrent  below.  It  took  some  time 
for  the  horses  to  be  rehitched  and  I  was  quite  half  a  mile 


o 

I 


434         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

ahead  when  I  saw  something  that  looked  like  a  bear  trotting- 
along  in  the  distance.  In  a  second  my  cowardly  instincts 
obtained  the  mastery  and  I  beat  a  rapid  retreat,  gladly  tak- 
ing refnge  with  the  entertaining  driver.  As  we  approached 
the  little  steamer  iXora,  the  horse,  either  through  .seeing  the 
stable  so  near  at  hand  or  feeling  that  his  master,  absorbed  in 
conversation,  had  forgotten  him,  turned  off  at  right  angles 
from  the  track  with  such  speed  and  strength  as  almost  to  tip 
over  the  car  with  its  heavy  burden.  With  a  shriek  I  started 
to  jump,  a  dozen  arms  were  held  out  to  me,  as  there  were 
many  miners  awaiting  the  arrival  of  the  luggage,  and  I 
landed  safely. 

Being  the  first  one  on  board  the  steamer  I  asked  for  choice 

of  cabins  for  E ,  Mrs.  F ,  and  self.     "  How  many 

ladies  in  the  party  ?  "  said  the  purser,  rising,  as  he  hastilj^ 
finished  his  luncheon. — "  Six  altogether." — "  Then  follow 
me."  Through  the  engine-room  we  went,  where  the  passage 
between  boiler  and  boards  was  so  narrow  that  my  wrap  had 
to  come  off  before  it  was  possible  to  pass,  up  a  steep  ladder 
to  a  narrow  deck  and  into  a  dark  room  where  there  were 
three  bunks  on  either  side,  made  of  boards,  with  canvas 
stretched,  on  which  to  lay  one's  blanket  and  pillows. 
"  Choose  your  bunks,"  said  the  purser  in  a  kindly  manner. 
"  But  have  you  no  cabin  with  only  two  bunks  ?  "  "  Not 
such  a  thing  on  board  for  passengers,"  he  replied.  The 
lower  berths,  being  just  off  the  ground,  were  out  of  the 
question,  owing  to  my  fear  of  mice,  so  I  selected  the  two  in 
the  middle  and  one  on  top,  for  which  the  purser  wrote  our 

three  names  and  in  which  he  deposited  our  bags.     E had 

joined  the  walking  party  with  Ivan  as  companion,  while  I 
had  promised  not  only  to  secure  the  accommodations,  but 
also  to  attend  to  the  luggage,  which  had  to  be  weighed  and 
paid  for.  Great  dissatisfaction  was  expressed  by  many  of 
the  owners  of  the  boxes,  as  some  boasted  that  they  had 
stipulated  in  the  purchase  of  the  ticket  that  the  luggage 
should  be  landed  at  Bennett,  free  of  charge,  while  tho.se  who 
had  paid  the  same  price,  but  had  made  no  such  arrangement, 
were  taxed  three  cents  a  pound  portage,  which  made  E 's 


The  First  Portage  435 

bill  and  mine  amount  to  nearly  twenty  dollars.  [Let  me 
add  a  friendly  word  of  warning  to  those  who  follow  in  our 
footsteps — have  it  thoroughly  understood  before  starting 
that  there  are  to  be  no  extra  charges.] 

E arrived  shortly  after,   escorted  by   the   Virginian, 

who  invited  ns  all  to  lunch  with  him  at  the  White  Horse 
Canon  Hotel.     How  we  did  enjoy  the  "  human  "  potatoes 

once  more  !     "  Was  you  the  two  ladies  that  A M 

took  over  the  trail  to  his  mines  ?  "  said  the  Virginian  Klon- 
dike King.  "  Well,  do  you  know  I  was  right  mad  with  him 
that  da}',  'cause  he  generally  stops  to  pass  the  time  o'  day 
with  me,  but  that  day  he  went  right  on,  an'  I  says  to  my- 
self, Well,  if  he  don't  want  to  bring  them  ladies  in,  I  ain't 

a-goin'  to  a.sk  him,  an'  as  it  was  the  first  time  that  A 

was  ever  seen  with  ladies  he  got  no  end  o'  joshin'  after- 
wards." 

At  5  P.M.  the  whistle  blew  and  we  were  just  starting  when 
a  shout  of  "  A  bear — a  bear  !  "  was  heard.  Everyone  rushed 
to  the  stern  and  there  came  my  bear  trotting  down  to  the 
water's  edge  for  a  drink  as  unconcernedlj'  as  though  he  were 
in  the  primeval  forests  and  had  never  heard  of  his  eneni}-, 
man.  There  was  a  dash  for  rifles.  One  of  the  mounted 
police  was  far  in  advance  of  all  others,  rifle  in  hand.  Others 
without  arms  followed,  shouting  and  j'elling,  so  that  poor 
Bruin  had  no  chance  to  quench  his  thirst.  The  small  cub 
on  board  which  had  been  kept  a  prisoner  for  weeks,  whined 
and  howled.  Suddenly  there  was  a  shot,  we  could  see  the 
smoke  and  the  dogs  in  wild  chase,  but  were  too  far  away  to 
learn  whether  the  bear  had  been  killed  or  even  wounded. 

The  next  entries  in  my  journal  are  :  "  Mounted  Police 
Station.  Marsh  Lake.  Tagish  Lake.  Nine  Mile  River. 
Lake  Bennett."  But  they  convey  no  meaning  and  are 
probably  places  passed  in  the  night.  Upon  going  to  the 
cabin  for  six,  the  first  thing  I  discovered  was  that  "  Madam 
Selfish  "  (as  she  has  been  nicknamed)  had  moved  out  my 
bag  and  belongings  from  my  bunk  and  put  her  own  in  place. 
This  was  soon  changed,  only  to  be  rechanged  by  Madam 
S.,  who  was  caught  in  the  act  by  the  purser,  whereupon  he 


436         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

said  to  her,  "  Madam,  had  you  come  first  and  made  your 
selection,  I  should  certainly  hare  protected  your  rights.  I 
must  do  the  same  by  the  one  who  got  here  near!}'  an  hour 


before  you  and  engaged  these  three."     From  the  purser's 
decision  no  appeal  could  be  taken,  so  we  were  left  in  peace. 

We  stayed  on  deck  for  a  short  time  to  enjoy  the  beautiful 
view,  but  were  soon  driven  awaj'  by  the  cinders.     There  was 


The  First  Portage  437 

no  place  in  which  to  seek  protection.  Below,  every  place 
was  packed,  so  that  there  was  scarcely  gangwaj',  and  the 
cabins  were  so  tiny  that  there  was  no  room  in  them  to  sit. 
Three  of  the  women  went  to  bed  at  seven  as  the  only  way 
out  of  the  difficulty.  The  poor  "  Siwash  "  dog  who  had 
been  kept  on  deck  from  the  time  of  leaving  Dawson,  not  only- 
had  his  long  fur  badly  burned,  but  the  burn  went  so  deep 
that  it  made  a  large  running  sore,  the  size  of  the  palm  of  a 
hand.  To  leave  Ivan  outside  was  out  of  the  question,  so  I 
asked  E ,  who  manages  so  well  with  her  travelling  com- 
panions, to  try  and  persuade  them  to  allow  him  to  sleep  in 
the  tiny  corridor  which  was  portioned  off  as  a  "  wash-room 
for  ladies."  Not  even  "  Madam  Selfish  "  objected,  which 
fact  inunediately  washed  out  all  her  sins  in  my  eyes. 

The  Virginian  invited  me  down  for  supper,  and,  although 
I  objected  on  the  ground  of  not  being  hungry,  his  arguments 
that  he  did  not  want  to  eat  alone  and  that  we  would  have  a 
nice  place  in  which  to  sit  with  no  danger  of  being  burned, 
quickly  persuaded  me.  So  we  worked  our  way  down  the 
narrow  ladder,  squeezed  past  the  furnace,  and  came  to  that 
part  of  the  boat  where  eighty  new  passengers  were  huddled 
together,  sitting  on  bags,  boxes,  and  logs  of  wood,  but  sing- 
ing at  the  top  of  their  voices.  As  we  passed  this  mass 
of  humanity,  the  song  was  stilled,  hats  came  off  and  shouts 

were  heard.     "  Three  cheers  for  Bill  L ,  the  Klondike 

King,  and  the  best  man  on  earth  !  three  cheers  for  the  lady 
— God  bless  her  for  being  kind  to  the  sick  '  boys ' !  and  three 
cheers  for  the  handsome  dog  !  "  The  table  and  the  benches 
in  front  of  it  were  close  to  the  engine,  and  we  had  to  work 
our  waj-  carefully  in  order  not  to  be  caught  in  the  machinery. 
The  place  was  stifling,  but  we  were  safe  from  the  sparks  fly- 
ing through  the  air,  and  as  we  soon  became  accustomed  to 
the  temperature  we  were  able  to  enjoy  the  supper.  The 
manager's  wife  told  me  that  small  and  uncomfortable  as  are 
the  quarters  on  the  Nam,  they  are  now  far  better  than  in 
former  times,  when  there  was  not  even  a  partition  for  the 
live  stock.  After  supper  the  cheering  recommenced  as  we 
once  more  wended  our  waj'  back  to  the  narrow  upper  deck. 


438 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Although  it  was  but  a  little  after  eight,  there  was  uothiug 
for  it  but  to  retire,  so  I  said  good-night  to  mj'  kind  Virginia 
friend  and  joined  the  small  party  who  were  waiting  for  nie 
to  extinguish  the  light  of  the  kerosene  lamp.  The  next 
difficult}-  was  how  to  wriggle  into  the  middle  bunk.     "  I 

had  to  get  my  feet  in  first,"  .said  E ,  "  and  then  draw 

myself  in  gradually.  You  'd  better  try  the  head  first,  or 
you  run  the  risk  of  breaking  your  back."  I  tried  each  wa}', 
but  being  unaccustomed  to  gymnastic  performances,  was  in 
despair.  Finally  the  feat  was  accomplished,  the  light  was 
out,  and  we  tried  to  settle  down  to  sleep,  but  through  the 
cracks  in  the  floor  we  could  see  the  motley  crowd  below  and 
hear  their  songs — mother  songs,  darkey  songs,  duets,  quar- 
tettes, choruses — then  a  shout  of  "  Oh  !  Jim  's  going  to 
sleep  !  stick  a  pin  in  him,"  then  a  grunt,  and  Jim  was  evi- 
dently wide  awake.  "  Look-a-liere,  Bill,  if  you  '11  put  your 
back  ag'iu'  mine,  we  kin  sort  o'  steady  each  other,  and  that  s 
the  best  kind  o'  bed  that  we  kin  git  to-night."  "  Goon, 
Jack,  give  us  another  song  ;  give  us  the  Wabash,"  and  so 
they  kept  it  up  until  5  A.M. 


J  i  > 


CHAPTER   XXXI 

THE   SKAGUAY    PASS 

SUNDAY  morning  we  arrived  at  Bennett,  of  which  we 
had  read  so  much.  A  heavy  snowstorm  greeted  us 
and  we  groaned,  fearing  that  we  could  never  get  over  the 
Pass.  We  all  went  to  the  Hotel  Dawson  for  breakfast,  and 
as  we  sat  on  the  benches  waiting  for  food,  the  discns.sion  be- 
gan as  to  whether  we  should  take  the  Chilkoot  or  the  White 

Pass.     Neither  E nor  I  felt  equal  to  the  perpendicular 

descent  of  the  former,  but  many  of  the  men  preferred  it 
owing  to  its  being  so  much  shorter.  We  used  all  our  per- 
suasive powers  to  urge  them  in  favour  of  the  White  Pass, 
feeling  that  we  should  be  so  much  safer  in  their  company, 
and  finall}-,  as  the  blinding  snowstorm  became  more  fierce, 
we  were  .succe.ssful,  as  no  one  dared  attempt  the  Chilkoot 
under  such  circumstances.  The  runners  for  Dyea  did  all  in 
their  power  to  dissuade  us,  telling  us  that  one  of  the  Lakes 
was  frozen,  navigation  stopped,  the  railway  not  running, 
etc. ;  but  in  the  face  of  all  these  announcements  our  decision 
was  unalterable.  An  agent  for  a  new  transportation  com- 
pany started  by  the  railroad,  which  wished  to  make  a  record 
for  itself,  came  to  get  our  luggage  to  be  landed  in  Skaguay 
for  ten  cents  a  pound,  and  promised  that  we  should  liave 
everything  the  following  day  at  two  o'clock.  Mark  the  re- 
sult. We  booked  all  through  except  our  blankets  and  toilet 
bags  which  were  specially  marked  for  the  Old  Log  Cabin 
Hotel,  eight  miles  farther  on,  where  we  were  to  spend  the 
night.     A  man  "  going  in,"  seeing  the  fine  quality  of  our 

439 


440 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


blankets  and  noticing  the  newness  of  them,  was  most  anxious 
to  purchase  them,  telling  us  that  we  would  find  bedding  all 


CHILKOOT    RAILWAY    AND    TRANSPORTATION    COMPANY. 

the  rest  of  the  trip,  but  we  said  that  nothing  would  induce 
us  to  sleep  in  any  but  our  own. 

At  10.30  the  party  started,  the  \'irginian  being  told  off  to 

head  the  line,    his   partner    N to   bring    up  the    rear. 

E 's    escort    was   a   charming   Englishman,    a    Captain 


442         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

T ,  who  had  been  eight  years  in  command  of  one  of  the 

Mitsu  Bishi  steamers  in  Japan,  and  who  was  well  acquainted 

with  E 's  brother.      Consequently,   there  was  much  of 

interest  for  them  to  talk  over  during  the  eight-mile  tramp. 

My  escort  was  a  Mr.  T .     We  passed  the  steamer  that 

we  should  have  taken  had  we  gone  via  Dyea,  skirted  wonder- 
ful Lake  Linderman,  and  I  was  so  intensely  interested  in  the 
gorgeous  scenery  that  suddenly  one  leg  was  up  to  the  knee 
in  a  deep  marsh.  Pull  and  tug  as  I  would,  I  could  not  e.x- 
tract  it  ;  we  had  been  walking  single  file  and  my  escort  was 
a  little  in  advance.  Happening  to  turn,  he  saw  my  predica- 
ment, and  notwithstanding  his  heavy  load,  he  was  soon 
back,  pulling  with  all  his  might  as  he  firmly  gripped  my 
hand.  For  a  short  time  the  suction  below  was  greater  than 
the  force  from  above,  and  it  seemed  as  though  the  boot  at 
least  must  be  left  as  a  memento  on  the  trail,  already  covered 
with  the  dead  bodies  of  more  than  horses  ;  a  last  effort,  and 
boot  and  all  came  slowly,  slowly  from  the  marsh,  while  the 
perspiration  rolled  in  streams  from  my  forehead. 

I  had  read  so  much  of  the  icy  atmosphere  of  the  summit, 
that  I  had  prepared  for  it  by  wearing  two  thick  suits  of  wool- 
len flannels,  a  jersey,  cloth  jacket,  and  sealskin  wrap  and 
collar.  [Another  word  of  warning  !  Never  overburden 
yourself  with  heavy  clothing  for  an  eight-mile  tramp  even 
to  the  summit,  as  each  pound  becomes  an  insupportable 
burden  with  each  step.]  My  escort  kindly  offered  to  carry 
the  sealskin,  but  his  pack  was  sufficiently  heavy  as  it  was, 
so  I  staggered  on  until  finally  we  were  overtaken  by  the 
newspaper  boy,  lightly  clad,  and  with  nothing  but  a  few 
papers  to  carry.  I  a.sked  him  if  he  wanted  a  job  of  packing, 
promising  that  he  should  be  well  paid  for  it.  He  willingly 
took  the  wrap,  but  was  off  before  remuneration  could  be 
offered. 

The  trail  wound  up-hill,  over  rocks,  across  swamps,  and 
over  log  bridges  which  threatened  to  turn  as  we  .stepped  on 
them.  We  picked  up  our  short  skirts  and  waded  through 
shallow  streams  (bloomers  are  much  safer  without  the  skirts), 
reaching  hilltops  from  which  we  could  see  the  advance  guard 


The  Skaguay  Pass 


443 


and  those  far  in  the  rear,  went  down  into  ditches  and  swamps 
from  which  no  sign  of  the  trail  was  visible,  and  here  Ivan 
came  to  our  assistance,  as  it  was  onlj'  necessary  to  say  to 
him,  "  Run  ahead,  good  doggie,"  and,  by  following  him,  we 


ON    THE    SKAQUAY    TRAIL. 


soon  had  the  leaders  in  full  view  again.  Haifa  mile  before 
reaching  our  destination  we  stopped  at  a  tent  on  which  we 
saw  the  sign  "  Restaurant."     Never  did  oranges  seem  more 

delicious  than  those  which  Mr.  T presented  to  us  !     No 

thirsty,  fever-parched  patient  could  have  enjoyed  them  half 
so  intensely. 


444         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

Refreshed,  we  continued  our  tramp,  reaching  the  Old 
Log  Cabin  Hotel  just  as  the  more  rapid  walkers  in  our 
party  had  finished  dinner.     Their  shouts  of  welcome  were 

pleasant  to  listen  to.     E and  her  escort  arrived  an  hour 

later  ;  she  was  thoroughly  exhausted,  and  delighted  to  find 
that  we  were  to  go  no  farther  that  night.  The  quarters 
were  crowded  to  overflowing.  We  looked  at  the  bunks,  one 
above  the  other,  and  felt  that  it  was  no  place  for  the  night. 
After  a  short  talk  with  the  proprietor,  he  accompanied  us 
to  a  small  tent,  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  beyond,  a  new 
American  Hotel  and  Restaurant.  We  passed  through  the 
latter,  entering  a  long  canvas  -  covered  room,  containing 
thirty-two  bunks,  sixteen  lower  and  sixteen  upper,  with 
places  made  for  two  in  each  ;  all  were  of  logs  over  which,  as 
usual,  canvas  was  tightly  stretched.  The  part  to  be  occupied 
b\'  each  person  was  clearh-  defined,  as  a  pole  was  lashed  down 
the  centre,  although  the  same  blanket  covered  both  indi- 
viduals. 

I  immediately  engaged  the  bunk  in  the  corner,  which  was 

curtained  off  by  a  bit  of  canvas,  for  E and  me.     At  the 

foot  of  the  bed  was  a  small  space  in  which  some  old  bags 
were  stored,  and  this  I  secured  for  Ivan.  Shortly  after,  the 
other  members  of  the  party  (feeling  that  the  night  was  to  be 
a  noisy  one  at  the  Old  Log  Cabin  Hotel)  followed  my  ex- 
ample. The  five  women  engaged  lower  bunks  and  had  them 
curtained  off,  then  came  the  men  of  the  party  who  also  de- 
sired a  quiet  night's  rest.  The  place  I  had  secured  for  Ivan 
was  coaxed  from  me  as  a  dressing-room,  all  gladly  consent- 
ing, however,  to  allow  the  dog  to  remain.  There  were 
shouts  of  "  flies  !  "  No  wonder  they  attracted  attention,  as 
they  are  not  known  in  that  part  of  the  world  from  which  we 
were  returning. 

While  the  men  were  out  smoking,  or  preparing  for  dinner, 
we  divested  ourselves  for  a  while  of  rubber  boots  and  wanned 
our  feet.  I  asked  for  a  basin  of  warm  water  in  which  to 
wash  my  hands  while  waiting,  but  the  American  proprietor 
and  wife  said  that  if  I  wished  to  wash  my  hands  I  must  come 
out  in  the  wash-room  and  do  it.     The  pack-train  came  along 


The  Skaguay  Pass 


445 


with  the  blankets,  the  man  stopping-  to  know  if  I  still  wanted 
them.  "  Most  assuredh-  I  do  ;  put  them  on  this  bunk." — 
"  Can't  do  it,  madam  ;  have  to  leave  them  at  the  Custom 
House." — "  Will  you  ask  them  to  send  them  directl}-  here  ?  " 
— "  Yes  'm.  Gimme  a  piece  o'  pie,"  he  shouted,  grabbed  it, 
and  rushed  off. 

After  waitino;  some  time  without  receivins:  the  desired 


A    BUNK    HOUSE. 


package,  I  asked  the  proprietor,  in  as  meek  a  tone  as  possi- 
ble, if  he  could  find  some  one  to  go  to  the  Customs  and  get 
mj'  pack.  No,  he  could  n't.  So  my  weary  feet  were  dragged 
into  the  rubber  boots  once  more,  and  I  went  in  search  of  the 
missing  bedding.  It  was  not  to  be  found.  At  last,  meeting 
the  chief,  and  stating  the  case  to  him,  he  called  his  assistant, 
who  said  that  the  leader  had  left  the  pack  in  his  care,  but 
that  the  last  man  in  charge  of  the  train  had  told  him  that  the 
articles  were  to  go  on  to  Skaguay,  and  so  had  put  them  on  his 


446         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

horse.    •  "  How  far  ahead  is  the  pack-train  ?  "  said  Mr.  S , 

who  had  kiiidlj'  accompanied  me  ;  "  I  might  go  on  and  over- 
take it,"  but,  as  the  poor  fellow  had  already  walked  his  eight 
miles,  I  assured  him  that  we  could  get  on  without  the  things 
in  question  perfectlj'  well.  A  fine  predicament  !  No 
blankets,  no  pillows,  not  even  a  comb  or  brush,  although 
instructions  had  been  carefully  written  out  and  given  with 
the  positive  assurance  that  they  should  be  carried  out  to  the 
letter.     There  was  nothing  further  to  be  said  or  done.     When 

E was  informed  of  the  great  mistake  that  had  been  made, 

she  mourned  the  loss  of  her  films  which  she  had  placed  in  the 
bag  specially  for  use  on  this  trip.  "  Never  again  shall  I  do 
the  WHiite  Pass,"  said  she,  "  and  the  thought  that  such  stu- 
pidity should  prevent  me  from  taking  photographs  annoys 
me  beyond  measure." 

After  dinner  the  men  joined  us  and  we  sat  around  the  stove 
on  boxes  telling  stories.  We  had  seen  the  bodies  of  horses 
lying  all  along  the  road,  and  were  told  that  over  three  thou- 
sand have  perished  since  June  one  year  ago.  From  what  we 
had  read,  we  had  fully  expected  the  odour  to  be  almost  unbear- 
able, but,  fortunately,  were  disappointed.  The  Virginian  told 
the  sequel  to  the  story  of  the  Indian  Ij'nching  :  "A  white  man 
started  out  with  three  Indian  guides  to  explore  the  Tanana 
River,  but,  getting  discouraged  with  the  hardships,  deter- 
mined to  return.  The  Indians  were  averse  to  so  doing,  as 
they  were  expecting  big  results,  but  the  white  man  insisted 
and  finally  started  back  alone.  He  was  soon  followed  by 
one  of  the  Indians,  who  said,  '  I  must  take  j-ou  back,  if  you 
will  go,  as  the  river  is  running  strong,  and  should  you  go 
under,  three  Indians  would  be  Ij-nched.'  "  Someone  then 
told  about  the  fence  put  up  by  the  Indians  from  Forty  Mile 
to  Tanana,  where  they  corral  caribou,  stationing  members  of 
their  tribes  at  watch-posts  where  they  have  gates. 

Captain  T came  in  and  announced  that  if  we  wanted 

to  catch  the  train  at  the  summit  we  must  be  ready  to  .start 
between  five  and  six  o'clock  in  the  morning.  This  so  startled 
the  slow  walkers  that  they  insisted  upon  being  allowed  to 
retire  at  once.     Although  our  part  of  the  tent  was  well 


448         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

screened  off,  we  demanded  that  the  men  should  clear  the 
cabin  and  wait  until  they  were  called  in.  We  undressed 
rapidly,  realising  that  it  was  icy  cold  outside,  and  were  soon 
rolled  up  in  the  blankets  we  had  sworn  not  to  use.  "  Come," 
shouted  Mrs.  M .  There  was  a  pell-mell  rush  and  a  kick- 
ing off  of  boots.  Funny  stories  were  told,  which  elicited 
peals  of  laughter  from  women  as  well  as  men.  Someone 
counneuced  filling  up  the  stove  with  wood,  at  which  we 
shouted  loudly  in  protest,  and,  finally,  requested  one  of  the 
men  to  stand  guard  over  it.  The  laughter  became  almost 
hysterical  ;  it  seemed  like  a  lot  of  girls  at  boarding- 
school.  At  last  all  was  quiet.  We  were  just  about 
to  doze  when  Ivan  stretched  his  weary  limbs,  giving  such 
a  grunt  of  satisfaction  at  being  in  warm  quarters  once 
more  that  there  was  a  general  shout  and  the  laughter  recom- 
menced. 

At  2  A.M.  we  were  awakened  by  loud  snoring  from  one  of 
the  men  in  the  top  berth.  Movements  on  all  sides  showed 
that  he  had  succeeded  in  arousing  everyone  but  himself; 
finally  there  were  shouts  of  "Pinch  him."  "Hold  his 
nose."  "  Put  a  clothes-pin  on  his  nose."  "  Wake  him 
up."  "Kick  him  out" — until,  with  a  louder  snore  than 
usual,  he  awoke.  There  was  a  general  peal  of  laughter. 
"What  time  is  it?  Time  to  get  up?"  Someone  looked 
at  a  watch,  "Two  o'clock,  go  to  sleep."  So  much  noise 
awakened  Ivan,  who  roused  himself  to  stand,  stretch,  and 
shake.     As  I  tried  to  reach  him  and  make  him  understand 

that  he  was   to  lie  still,  the  pole  which  partitioned  E 

from  me  broke,  and  we  rolled  together  into  the  pocket 
formed  bj^  the  drooping  canvas.  We  tried  to  cling  to  the 
pole  on  the  edge,  but  our  efforts  were  in  vain,  so  we  had  to 
rob  ourselves  of  one  blanket  and  form  a  new  partition.  The 
temperature  soon  became  freezing,  and  we  were  all  shivering 
with  cold.  Some  good  soul  got  up  at  four  and  made  a  fire 
and  we  dropped  asleep  again  to  the  .sound  of  the  crackling 
of  the  wood. 

At  five  the  alarm-clock  sounded,  and  the  men  began  dress- 
ing.    As  soon  as  the  last  one  was  out  of  the  tent  we  were 


The  Skaguay  Pass 


449 


making  as  much  of  a  toilet  as  was  possible  without  the  aid 
of  toilet  articles,  washing  with  one  handkerchief,  dr\-ing 
■with  another,  combing  our  hair  with  hairpins,  and  arranging 
it  without  a  mirror.     Breakfast  consisted  of  beefsteak,  pota- 


CAN    YOU    GO    NO    FARTHER  ? 


toes,  coffee,  bread,  butter,  and  apple  sauce,  and  then  we  were 
off  on  the  trail  once  more.  As  we  were  among  the  slow 
walkers,  one  member  of  the  party  after  another  passed  us 
and  disappeared  from  view,  so  that  when  we  had  accom- 
plished our  tramp  of  two  and  a  half  miles  along  Shallow 
Lake,  and  had    reached  Middle   Lake,  we  found  the  sail- 


45°         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

boat,  the  Peterboro'  catioe,  and  the  party  all  wailing  for  us. 
A  sail  of  five  miles  brought  us  to  another  portage  of  one  and 
a  half  miles  over  a  hilh%  rockj-,  but  not  too  difficult  road. 
Nevertheless,  it  took  us  so  long  to  cover  the  distance  that 
we  failed  to  reach  Summit  Lake  in  time  to  join  the 
party  who  had  sailed  away  nearly  half  an  hour  before  our 
arrival. 

Being  much  rL-freshed,  however,  by  an  hour's  sail  through 
the  l)eautiful  islands,  we  changed  our  minds  in  regard  to 
remaining  over  night  at  the  first  stopping  place,  and  de- 
cided to  push  on  to  the  Ford,  two  miles  distant,  where  we 
were  to  lunch.  These  two  miles  we  found  to  be  the 
roughest  part  of  the  journey.  After  a  luncheon  of  egg 
sandwiches  and  lemonade,  we  started  over  rocks,  climbed  a 
steep  hill,  finally  coming  to  a  long  stretch  which  was  being 
graded  for  a  railwa}'.  We  welcomed  level  ground  once  more 
with  great  joy,  and  were  quite  certain  that  as  we  had  onlv 
five  miles  ahead  of  us  before  reaching  the  train  the  remainder 
of  the  journey  would  be  easy  walking.  Alas  !  the  grading 
soon  came  to  an  end,  and  a  turn  in  the  road  brought  us  to 
the  brink  of  a  steep  precipice — absolutely  perpendicular. 
Down,  down,  we  looked  upon  the  immense  rocks  far  below 
us,  and  on  the  other  side  could  see  the  narrow  trail  clearly 
defined,  but  how  to  reach  it  I  Evidently  we  had  come  too 
far.  It  resolved  itself  into  a  question  as  to  whether  we 
should  retrace  our  steps  for  a  mile  or  more  or  try  the  dizzy 
descent. 

Poor  patient  Captain  T ,  who  had  been  kindness  itself, 

was  ready  for  either,  but  to  impose  upon  him  all  that  addi- 
tional tramp  seemed  selfish  and  cruel.  So  we  screwed  up 
our  courage  and  began  the  descent,  the  Captain  taking  the 
lead.  How  he  found  a  place  to  rest  even  the  toe  of  his  foot, 
much  less  the  .sole,  is  beyond  my  comprehensiou.  Each 
rock  or  stone  upon  which  we  tried  to  depend  immediately 
proved  treacherous,  slipped,  and  rolled  until  we  heard  the 
thud  far  below.  Slipping,  sliding,  sitting  down  at  times 
while  feeling  for  something  .solid,  we  gradually  descended, 
holding  our  breath  and  making  no  sound  from  very  terror. 


The  Skaguay  Pass 


451 


The  bottom  was  fiiialh-  reached,   then   began  a  scramble, 
pulling,  slipping  over  ttie  rocks  until  at  length,  with  a  feel- 


A  HARD  ROAD  FOR  TIRED  FEET. 


ing  of  the  utmost  satisfaction  and  relief  we  were  on  the  other 
side,  and  were  complimented  by  the  good  Captain,  who  said 


452         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

that  his  heart  sank  when  he  first  saw  the  precipice,  as  he  did 
not  believe  that  we  could  possibly  accomplish  so  perilous  a 
descent. 

E said  that  her  great  terror  had  made  her  quite  forget 

her  lameness,  and  she  felt  much  better  for  the  unusual  experi- 
ence. Gayly  we  walked  along,  thankful  for  a  level  road 
once  more,  enjoying  the  dashing  torrent  below  the  tremen- 
dous rocks  overhead  on  the  other  side,  when,  suddenly,  there 
was  a  noise  as  of  thunder;  we  stopped ;  another  blast,  followed 
by  a  third,  and  down  came  some  gigantic  rocks,  down,  down, 
almost  by  our  very  feet  and  into  the  chasm  below.  That  we 
were  not  crushed  instantly  was  not  the  fault  of  the  railroad 
employees,  as  no  lookout  had  been  stationed  on  the  path  and 
no  word  of  warning  given.  A  white  flag  was  to  be  seen  on 
the  mountain-top,  but  we  did  not  know  the  meaning  of  the 
signal.  A  sort  of  yodel  we  had  heard  also  and  answered, 
thinking  that  it  came  from  other  members  of  our  party,  but 
it  seemed  to  us  that  lives  were  endangered  both  carelessly 
and  needlessly.  From  that  time  on,  the  blasting  was  almost 
continuous,  and  as  we  could  not  tell  in  which  direction  to 
look  for  danger  we  tramped  steadily  on,  trusting  to  the  Lord 
for  protection. 

Two  men  appeared  in  search  of  a  pack-hor.se  which  had 
rolled  down  the  precipice  with  his  load.  We  looked  carefully 
but  could  see  no  trace  of  horse  or  pack  ;  one  more  carcass 
added  to  those  which  already  strew  the  White  Pass  !  At  last 
the  railway  could  be  seen  through  the  loop  in  the  mountains 
as  we  crossed  the  bridge  and  went  along  the  main  street  of 
White  Pass  City  or  Heney,  passing  tents  and  houses.  A 
member  of  our  party  approached,  greeting  us  with  loud 
shouts  of  welcome.  "  W'e  've  been  so  worried  about  you 
we  were  about  to  send  some  of  the  party  back  ;  we  thought 
that  you  never  could  do  the  precipice.  The  ladies  are  all  in 
that  hotel  resting,  as  the  train  does  not  go  till  five  and  there 
are  still  three  hours  to  spare."  As  we  entered  the  small 
building  honoured  by  the  name  of  hotel,  the  four  women  of 
the  party  jumped  from  their  beds  to  greet  us  as  though  we 
had  risen  from  the  dead.     "  How  did  you  ever  do  the  preci- 


From  a  Plintograph  by  H.  C.  Barl 

BLASTING    ON    THE    SKAQUAY    PASS. 


454         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

pice  ?  "  they  cried  in  one  breath  ;  "  we  're  hght  and  accus- 
tomed to  tramping;  but  we  got  so  frightened  about  you 
that  we  were  just  sending  the  men  back  for  you,"  and  one 
brought  fresh  water,  another  towels,  another  soap,  while 
still  another  assisted  in  taking  off  our  wraps. 

Thank  the  Lord,  we  've  accomplished  the  terrible  White 
Pass,  and  our  tramping  is  at  an  end  forevermore  !  We 
would  n't  have  missed  it  for  the  world  ;  neither  would  we 
do  it  over  again. 

The  proprietor  and  his  wife  begged  me  to  do  them  the 
honour  of  naming  their  hotel,  but  as  the  one  opposite  was 
called  "  Ham- Grease  Saloon,"  and  seemed  to  be  very  popu- 
lar, I  did  not  feel  equal  to  competing  where  such  names  were 
in  favour.  After  resting  a  while,  Captain  T accom- 
panied me  to  the  railroad  station  to  attend  to  the  luggage, 
and  to  purchase  tickets.  The  station  was  at  the  bottom  of 
a  hill  seven  hundred  feet  high,  the  train  at  the  top.  "  Do 
you  mean  to  say  we  must  climb  that  to  reach  the  cars?  "  I 
asked  of  the  agent  ;  "  why  that  is  steeper  than  anything  we 
have  done  on  the  entire  Skaguay  Pass."  "  You  might  go 
up  in  the  car  with  the  luggage,"  he  replied.  "  I  don't  ad- 
vise you  to  try  it,  lady,"  said  a  bystander,  "  coz  sometimes 
it  slips  back." 

We  went  out  to  inspect.  The  power  house  was  above,  the 
car  below,  and  a  stout  cable-line  connecting  them.  It  looked 
perfectly  safe,  while  the  climb  seemed  a  dizzy  and  a  dan- 
gerous one.      E arrived,   and  said  that  the  latter  she 

could  not  do,  so  she  decided  that  she  would  take  the  risk  of 
going  up  in  the  car.      Then  she  took  her  seat  on  top  of  a 

trunk,  while  Mrs.  F and  Mr.  F accompanied  her. 

When  the  car  had  reached  the  steepest  part  of  the  road, 
more  than  half-way  up,  the  cable  suddenly  slackened, 
allowing  it  to   slip  backwards.      "Jump   for   your  lives." 

shouted  the  man  in  charge.     Mr.  and  Mrs.  F ,  seated  in 

front,  were  out  in  a  second,  but  poor  E was  imprisoned 

by  a  trunk  which  the  employees  had  scarcely  time  to  remove 
and  extricate  her  from  her  perilous  position  before  the  car 
dashed  down  to  the  bottom  of  the  steep  hill.     Two  men 


J' 


From  a  Photograph  by  II    C.  Barley 

CUTTIN3  ROCK  FOR  A  GRADE  ON  TUNNEL  MOUNTAIN. 


45^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

helped  her  np  to  the  top.  This  nccident  prevented  all  others 
from  entering  so  dangerous  a  conve\'ance. 

To  those  of  us  who  had  congratulated  ourselves  too  soon 
upon  having  reached  the  end  of  all  fatiguing  exertion,  this 
seemed  in  reality  the  last  straw.  We  gazed  upward  and 
shuddered.  Two  men  kindly  offered  me  assistance,  which  I 
most  gladly  accepted.  The  entire  trail  seemed  as  nothing 
in  comparison,  for  we  dared  not  use  the  rails,  with  the  cable 
now  slack,  then  tight,  then  flapping  so  that  we  were  in  danger 
of  being  caught  by  it  if  we  approached  too  near.  There  was 
not  even  a  rolling  stone  on  which  to  rest  the  foot  for  an  in- 
stant, and,  as  we  neared  the  train,  it  was  by  main  force  that 
the  two  stout  men  carried  my  weight  until  some  of  the  em- 
ployeis  leaned  over  the  embankment  and  drew  me  up.  I 
sank  into  the  first  seat  at  hand,  and  looked  down  the  steep 
hill  of  which  no  photograph  can  give  a  realistic  picture. 

At  last  the  whistle  sounded.  "All  aboard!  "  was  shouted. 
Then  the  Klondike  "  boys  "  began  to  exclaim  joyously,  ''  A 
train  at  last  after  all  these  years  !  "  "  How  long  since  you 
been  in  one,  Jim  ?  "  "  Too  long  to  talk  about,"  said  Jim, 
as  the  tears  rolled  down  his  weather-beaten  cheeks.  The 
"  boys"  began  to  sing  Home,  Sweet  Home.  "  My  old  mother 
don't  know  I  'm  a-coming.  Poor  Bill  !  his  people  have  all 
died,  he  's  been  away  so  long,  and  he  ain't  got  even  a  sweet- 
heart to  welcome  him  back,  but  he  'II  have  a  hot  time  in 
Skaguay  to-night  with  all  his  nuggets  disappearing."  The 
"  boys"  caught  up  the  strain  and  A  Hot  Time  in  Skaguay 
was  predicted  from  dozens  of  throats. 

Some  stiff,  stately  persons  seated  in  front  of  us  drew  them- 
selves together,  their  noses  high  in  the  air,  and  gazed  con- 
temptuously upon  the  noisy  rabble.  They  could  not  see  the 
pathetic  side  of  the  picture — of  how  the  poor  "  boys  "  had 
tramped,  footsore  and  weary,  for  days,  months,  and  even 
j-ears  :  putting  up  with  privations  of  all  descriptions,  suffer- 
ing from  lack  of  proper  nourishment,  half  frozen  in  winter 
or  risking  their  lives  in  going  to  the  assistance  of  a  less 
fortunate  comrade,  or  they  would  not  have  frowned  upon 
those  shouts  of  joy  at  being  once  more  within  the  bounds 


The  Skaguay  Pass  457 

of  civilisation.  A  sudden  whistle  !  "A  cow  on  the  track, 
bo^-s  !  let 's  get  off  an'  look  at  her.  I  've  forgotten  how  one 
looks."  We  listened  \.o  Snn'anee  River,  Old  Folks  at  Home, 
everything  which  suggested  itself  to  the  "  boys,"  until  at 
last  "  Skaguaj-  "  was  called  out. 

How  odd  it  seemed  to  descend  from  a  railroad  train  and 
see  signs  of  "  Beer,  ten  cents,"  instead  of  one  dollar,  and 
"  Peaches  three  for  a  quarter."  All  signs  were  read  aloud 
by  the  leaders  of  our  procession  and  comparisons  made.  We 
soon  reached  "  Brannick's, "  where  the  ladies  of  our  party 
had  determined  to  stop  for  the  night.  What  luxury  !  a  frame 
house,  not  one  built  of  logs  !  carpets  !  plentj^  of  lamps  and 
curtains  !  A  book  was  moved  towards  us  and  we  w^ere  asked 
to  register,  another  unusual  proceeding.  How  pleasant  to 
see  once  more  a  "  four-poster"  with  spring  mattress,  sheets, 
and  pillow-cases  !  "  What  is  the  dinner-hour  ?  "  we  asked. 
"  We  only  let  rooms,  but  there  are  several  restaurants  and 
an  o\'ster-house  very  near."  "  Oysters  !  we  must  go  and 
get  some  at  once,   before   we  forget  how  they  taste."     So 

E and  I  started  on  ahead.     Accustomed  to  Dawson  and 

the  deep  respect  with  which  we  had  been  treated  by  the 
brave,  honest  miners,  we  were  quite  astonished  to  have  the 
vSkaguay  men  stop  and  stare  at  us  as  we  passed,  although  it 
was  not  yet  8  p.m.,  so  we  hurried  into  the  first  restaurant, 
ordered  oysters,  salads,  and  man}-  other  things  that  we  had 
been  deprived  of  so  long,  and  begged  for  the  newspapers 
while  waiting.  We  were  greatly  interested  in  the  wonder- 
ful letters  in  the  papers  describing  life  in  Dawson,  and  were 
much  amused  at  the  exaggerations  which  we  found  in  each 

article. 

Skaguay,  October  4th. 

At  last  our  tramp  is  at  an  end,  all  perils  are  over  ;  the  ter- 
rible White  Pass  has  been  traversed,  and  we  look  back  upon 
it  with  a  shudder,  wondering  how  we  ever  dared  attempt 
such  an  undertaking,  yet  glad  at  having  accomplished  it. 

E and  I  have  both  vowed  that  nothing  under  heaven 

would  ever  induce  us  to  make  such  a  trip  again,  and  ^-et  we 
are  proud  of  ourselves  for  having  mustered  sufficient  courage 


458 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


to  surmount  the  dangers  of  which  we  had  read,  and  we  would 
not  for  the  world  have  missed  such  an  experience. 

The  weary  Klondikers  were  aroused  at  an  early  hour  this 
morning  from  their  luxurious  slumbers  in  comfortable  beds, 
after  months  of  rolling  up  in  furs  and  blankets,  by  the  loud 
and  persistent  lamentations  of  a  passenger  who  had  missed 
a  steamer.  Sleep  being  out  of  the  question,  I  arose  and  soon 
became  so  absorbed  in  writing  that  twelve  o'clock  came  be- 


THE    CEMETERY,    SKAQUAY. 


fore  I  was  aware.     E rushed  in,  saying,  "  There  is  a 

steamer  to  leave  at  three  this  afternoon — can  you  be  ready 
at  such  short  notice?  If  so,  I  '11  get  the  tickets,  as  the  lug- 
gage has  just  arrived.  We  can  go  by  this  and  see  Sitka  and 
other  interesting  points,    or  wait  until  to-morrow  and  go 

directly  to  vSeattle." — "  I  '11  be  ready."     So  E went  off 

for  the  tickets,  then  returned  to  go  with  me  to  the  restaurant. 
We  stopped  to  purchase  photographs  which  we  liad  not  time 
to  take  ourselves,  and  were  in  the  carriage  on  our  way  to  the 


MRS.    HITCHCOCK. 


460         Two  \\^omen  in  the  Klondike 

steamer  City  of  Topcka  just  as  thc'  hotel  proprietor  said  she 
was   blowing    her   last   whistle.       "  Cut    rates,"    whispered 

E ,  "  so  that  we  have  only  twelve  dollars  each  to  pay  for 

the  week's  trip."  It  seemed  impossible,  but  we  were  very 
willing  to  take  advantage  of  such  an  opportunity. 

j\Ir.  L and  more  than  half  of  our  party  remained  be- 
hind, some  because  their  luggage  had  not  arrived,  others  be- 
cause they  could  not  secure  a  bunk.  We  waited  two  hours 
at  the  wharf  notwithstanding  that  "  la.st  whistle." 

The  purser  had  told  E that  the  top  or  third  berth  in 

our  stateroom  would  probably  be  unoccupied,  so  she  did  not 
purchase  it.  As  we  started,  however,  we  saw  extra  bags  in 
our  cabin,  and  hung  about  to  see  our  new  travelling  com- 
panion. She  proved  to  be  a  nice,  quiet,  but  entertaining  little 
woman  who  fitted  in  most  agreeabh^.  Although  it  was  quite 
cold  we  walked  the  decks  (where  there  were  scarcely  any 
seats  to  be  had,  everything  was  in  such  an  overcrowded  con- 
dition) until  late,  admiring  the  great  contrast  between  the 
snow-capped  mountains  and  the  beautiful  verdure-covered 
islands.  W'e  asked  the  purser  for  seats  at  table,  but  his  reply 
was,  "  Sit  anywhere."  The  rush  was  so  great  when  the  gong 
sounded,  that  we  stepped  back,  preferring  to  let  "  the 
pushers"  enjoy  their  feast  while  we  waited  for  the  second 
table.  We  had  the  luck,  however,  to  get  an  nnusually 
good  waiter,  who  promised  to  reserve  the  same  seats  for  us 
during  the  entire  trip. 


^_'  i®-^^4  w^^^  A-:^-^^-^  ^ 


CHAPTER    XXXII 


A    DAY    IX    SITKA 


Wednesday,  October  5th. 

AS  the  shutter  was  opened,  beautiful  verdure  on  all  sides 
gladdened  the  ej-e.     Mrs.  B was  up  and  dressed 

almost  before  we  were  awake.     E and  I  had  determined 

to  be  lazy  and  to  get  up  only  in  time  for  luncheon,  Ijut  when 

j\Irs,  B rushed  in,  saying,  "  We  shall  be  in  Sitka  in  half 

an  hour,"  we  scrambled  into  our  clothes  as  rapidly  as  possi- 
ble. As  we  lauded,  Indian  women  hurried  down  to  the 
wharves  and  seated  themselves  along  the  road,  spreading 
out  their  wares  on  the  ground  before  them — curios  of  all 
sorts  and  descriptions.  I  decided  to  do  the  town  first,  ex- 
amine everything,  then  select  the  verj'  best.  This  %vas  a 
mistake,  as  the  supply  was  so  small  and  the  demand  so 
great  that  soon  all  the  best  things  had  been  taken  and  prices 
were  going  up  materially  for  the  few  remaining  articles.  I 
secured  two  walking-sticks,  the  handle  of  one  an  eagle's 
claw,  of  the  other  a  deer's  hoof  a  curiously  carved  pipe, 
which  must  have  been  so  heavy  as  to  have  detracted  from 
the  pleasure  of  the  smoke,  a  carved  salad  fork  and  spoon,  a 
beaded  bottle,  finely  braided  basket,  and  one  of  the  daintiest 
pairs  of  moccasins  I  have  ever  seen. 

The  next  search  was  for  photographs.  We  stopped  at  the 
Hotel  Millmore  long  enough  to  see  what  a  hotel  in  this  part 
of  the  world  looked  like — very  primitive  and  old-fashioned, 
but  comfortable.  We  went  through  the  Indian  village,  stop- 
ping to  talk  with  the  most  interesting  natives.     Many  times 

4Ar 


462 


T\\o  Women  in  the  Klondike 


my  camera  "vas  turned  towards  them  but  as  they  generaHv 
objected,  I  did  not  press  the  subject,  nor  the  button.  I 
questioned  one  woman  as  to  tlie  cause  of  her  objection.  She 
explained  to  me,  in  sign  language,  that  if  I  would  wait  for 
her  to  change    into  her   Sunday   costume  she   would   give 

me   the  great  privilege.      E was  just  about  to  snap  a 

most   picturesque    group 
of    children,     when    the    sW^i. 
mother  came  rushing  up- 
on her,  shaking  her  fist. 

E told    the  children 

to  look  in  her  camera 
and  see  the  reflection, 
and  as  they  were  stand- 
ing about  her,  peeping 
into  the  top  of  the  cam- 
era, their  expressions  of 
surprise  brought  the 
mother,  who  wanted  to 
see  also.  While  she  was 
investigating  with  them, 
I  snapped  the  group. 

From  natives  and  from 
dogs  Ivan  attracted  gen- 
eral attention  and  was 
always  surrounded,  but 
seemed  as  unconscious  of 
the  snapping,  snarling, 
barking  curs  at  his  heel.'^ 
as  of  the  exclamations  of 
admiration  heard  on  all 

sides.  An  old  chief  arose  as  I  approached,  and  inquired  the 
value  of  the  noble  beast.  "  Five  thousand  dollars,"  said  I. 
He  looked  stupefied.  "  Quite  bej-ond  his  comprehension," 
said  my  companions.  "  Two  hundred  dollars  my  dog,"  said 
the  chief,  as  he  whistled  for  him.  We  decided  that  he  was 
telling  us  what  he  paid  for  his,  but  the  men  of  the  party  in- 
sisted that  he  was  a  "  sporty  "  old  man,  and  was  offering  to 


OUR    ROOM-MATE. 


A  Day  in  Sitka  463 

back  his  dog  against  mine  for  that  amount,  particularly  as 
he  clutched  his  throat,  made  signs  of  a  heart\-  shaking,  and 
then  imitated  someone's  having  dropped  lifeless.  I  did  not 
stop  to  see  whether  or  not  he  expected  that  "  someone  "  to  be 
Ivan,  but  beat  a  rapid  retreat,  as  his  eager  whistling  began 
again. 

A  little  farther  on,  we  found  an  Indian  carving  a  salad 
fork  and  spoon  ;  the  design  seemed  so  much  more  unique 
than  on  those  I  had  bought  that  I  waited  for  him  to  finish 
and  sandpaper  his  handiwork.  His  wife  soon  made  her  ap- 
pearance with  her  head  bandaged,  and  apparently  in  such 
pain  that  she  could  neither  sit  nor  stand,  but  moaned  and 
walked,  moaned  and  sat  down,  only  to  start  off  again.  From 
her  description  in  broken  English  and  in  signs,  I  inferred  that 
she  had  had  no  physician,  l>ut  had  suffered  agonies  from 
neuralgia.  "  Come  with  me  to  the  steamer,"  said  I  to  the 
husband,  "  and  I  will  give  you  a  cure  which  will  relieve  her 
of  all  pain  in  a  few  hours."  He  caught  up  his  cap  and  fol- 
lowed. During  the  walk  some  Alaska  dolls  attracted  me 
and  I  stopped  to  purchase  them  ;  the  Indian  looked  sternly 
at  me  and  grunted,  "  Medichin."  On  we  went  until  an 
article  made  of  deer's  nails,  to  be  used  either  as  a  plaything 
for  children  or  by  a  warrior  in  his  dance,  was  more  than  I 
could  resist  ;  fearful  lest  someone  else  should  secure  it,  I  was 
handing  the  money  for  it,  when  a  reproachful  voice  called 
out  "  Medichin."  Quite  near  the  steamer  sat  a  woman 
with  unique  curios — another  temptation  to  which  I  ^-ielded, 
but  the  voice  grew  threatening  as  I  heard  "  Medichin  "  for 
the  last  time.  The  Indian  followed  me  up  the  gangplank 
to  mj' cabin,  where  I  opened  the  bag  and  handed  to  him  four 
of  my  precious  tablets,  explaining  to  him  just  how  they 
should  be  used.  He  listened  attentively.  "  Cover,"  said 
he.  I  wrapped  them  for  him,  he  turned  on  his  heel  without 
a  word  of  thanks  or  salutation,  and  soon  disappeared  from 
view. 

Having  seen  the  natives,  their  homes,  their  handiwork, 
their  wonderfull}-  beautiful  harbour  with  Mount  Edgecombe, 
an  extinct  volcano,  a  little  over  twenty  miles  from  Sitka, 


464         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

clearly  to  be  seen,  my  attention  was  turned  to  the  govern- 
ment buildings,  consisting  of  United  States  Court  House 
and  Jail,  located  near  the  wharf  on  the  southeast  side  of  an 
old  Russian  log  building,  containing  court-room,  jail,  and 
quarters  for  government  officials. 

I  went  first  to  the  mission,  being  most  courteously  received 
by  Judge  K ,  who  showed  me  through  the  large,  bright 


!nd:an  children  at  sitka, 

sunn}-  school-rooms,  where  the  children  looked  happy  and 
interested  in  their  studies.  After  a  short  chat  with  the 
teachers,  we  paid  a  visit  to  the  culinar}-  department,  which 
looked  large  and  clean  and  attractive,  after  the  make-shifts 
of  Dawson.     A  short  visit  to  the  spotless  dormitories — a  few 

words  of  thanks  and  encouragement  to  Judge  K ,  who 

has  spent  so  many  years  of  his  life  so  far  away  from  home, 
and  then  on  with  a  fellow  passenger  for  one  of  the  most  ro- 
mantic walks  imaginable  to  the  Indian  River  and  along  its 


A  Day  in  Sitka  465 

banks.  It  reminded  me  greatlj-  of  "  Flirtation  Walk"  at 
"V\'est  Point,  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  cadet. 

We  went  next  to  the  Russian  church,  with  its  beautiful 
Russian  paintings,  many  of  which  were  covered  with  gold 
and  silver.  A  description  given  bj-  the  North  Star  says  : 
"  In  the  year  iSi6,  a  small  chapel  was  built  in  Sitka  by 
Baranoff,  but  the  present  cathedral  of  St.  Michael  was  built 
and  dedicated  in  1S44  by  Ivan  Veiiiaminoff,  when  lie  became 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  Russian  America,  and  this  church 
occupies  a  quadrangle  in  the  centre  of  the  city.  The  chime 
of  six  bells  was  sent  from  Moscow,  and  rich  vestments,  plate, 
pictures,  and  altar  furnishings  were  sent  by  Veniaminoff, 
then  Metropolitan  of  Moscow,  and  by  members  of  noble 
families  in  Russia.  The  interior  furnishing  is  in  gold  and 
white,  and  the  inner  sanctuary,  which  is  forbidden  to  wo- 
men, is  separated  from  the  body  of  the  church  by  very  hand- 
some, elaborate  bronze  doors.  Massive  candlesticks  stand 
on  each  side  of  the  doors,  and  on  the  screens  are  full-length 
pictures  of  St.  Michael  and  St.  Nicholas  in  robes  and  armor 
of  beaten  silver,  with  jewelled  halos  and  helmets. 

"  The  chapel  and  the  altar  in  the  right  transept  are  dedi- 
cated to  John  the  Baptist.  The  chapel  of  St.  Mary  on  the 
left  is  used  for  services  in  winter.  The  altar  picture  of  the 
Madonna  and  Child  with  their  sweet  faces  and  fine  silver 
draperies,  is  considered  very  beautiful.  The  church  treas- 
ures consist  of  rich  vestments,  jewelled  crowns,  crosses,  re- 
liquaries, and  caskets,  some  illuminated  breviaries  and 
mis.sals  with  jewelled  and  enamelled  covers,  and  a  fine  bap- 
tismal bowl.  The  crowns  used  in  the  marriage  ceremonj- 
and  the  mitre  of  the  bishop  are  of  elaborate  workmanship. 
In  1869,  the  Russian  church  was  robbed,  by  United  States 
■discharged  soldiers,  of  plate  and  the  jewelled  Bible,  which 
were  in  part  recovered. 

"  The  Czar  of  Russia  maintains  the  seventeen  churches 
and  ninety-three  chapels  in  Alaska  and  the  chapels  in  New 
York,  Chicago,  San  Francisco,  and  the  churches  in  many 
other  places  of  the  United  States  at  a  cost  of  about  ninety 
thousand  dollars  per  annum.     Before  the  See  was  transferred 


466         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

from  vSitka  to  San  Francisco,  the  bishop  resided  in  the  long 
green-roofed  building  on  the  Governor's  Walk  (now  the 
Russian  Orphanage),  and  there  is  a  small  chapel  within  the 
building  in  which  there  are  many  fine  silver  icons.  Before 
the  transfer,  the  Chapel  of  the  Resurrection  in  the  stockade 
was  used  for  the  natives.  During  the  rising  of  the  Indians 
it  was  once  held  by  them  as  a  fort.  It  decayed,  and  was  de- 
stroyed a  few  years  ago,  and  all  now  worship  together  in  the 
church  of  St.  Michael." 

Everywhere  we  met  Indians  wearing  the  large  "  Dewey 
button."     On  returning  to  the  steamer  I  was  disappointed 

to  find  that  we  had  missed  the  visits  of  Dr.  \V ,  U.S.N., 

and  Captain  Y ,  U.S.M.C.     At  seven,  the  latter  called 

again.  Social  Hall  was  crowded  ;  the  dining-room  ditto  ; 
passengers  were  even  seated  on  all  the  steps  of  the  stairway, 
so,  cold  as  it  was,  we  were  obliged  to  remain  out  on  the  deck, 
as  there  vi'ere  sixty  more  passengers  on  board  than  there- 
were  cabins  for,  even  allowing  three  in  each  room.  The 
Captain's  time  had  almost  expired  ;  he  was  expecting  his 
relief,  and  anticipating  with  great  pleasure  the  thought  of 
being  once  more  stationed  at   Annapolis.      My  old  friend 

Captain  S ■  had  just  left  in  command  oi  l\\&  Pheasant,  and 

the  Wheeling  is  expected  in  a  day  or  two.  One  of  my  hus- 
band's old  sailors  sent  on  board  to  me  a  Leslie's  ll'ecliv, 
which  was  greatly  appreciated.     The  Captain  extended  an 

invitation  for  E and  me  to  spend  the  evening  in   his 

comfortable  quarters,  to  meet  the  Governor  and  see  some- 
thing of  home-life  in  Sitka,  but,  unfortunately,  we  were 
obliged  to  decline. 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

JAKE    AND    HIS    RIVAL 

Thursdaj-,  October  6th. 

LEFT  Sitka  at  6  a.m.,  reaching  Killisiioo  at  one.  "  Five 
minutes  will  be  more  than  enough  for  this  place,  so 
don't  hurry,"  called  out  one  of  the  passengers,  but  we  were 
not  deterred  from  starting  on  a  voyage  of  discovery,  and 
were  fully  justified  in  not  heeding  the  warning.  On  our 
way  to  the  Russian  church,  we  were  told  that  many  years 
ago  some  Americans  visited  this  town,  Init  were  attacked 
and  killed  by  the  Indians.  Immediately  afterwards  a  man- 
of-war  was  sent  in,  ^liich  bombarded  the  place.  We 
searched  for  a  book,  pamphlet,  or  paper  from  which  to  gain 
some  reliable  information,  but  in  vain.  We  soon  came  to  a 
house,  upon  which  was  the  following  sign  : 


^v}BlB^i^ 


By    the    Governor's 

commission 
And  the   company's 

permission, 
I  am  made  the  grand 

Tyhee 
Of    this    entire    II- 
lahee. 


Prominent    iu   song 

and  story, 
I  've  attained  the  top 

of  glory. 
As    Sacinaw    I'm 

known  to  fame. 
"Jake"    is    but    m}' 

common  name. 


While  copying  the  sign,  who  should  come  up  the  road  but 

467 


468 


Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 


Jake  himself,  the  only  smiling  Indian  among  the  entire  snl- 
len  band.  He  invited  us  to  enter,  and  his  roomy  liouse  was 
soon  filled  to  overflowing.  He  bronght  out  costume  after 
costume,  some  made  of  red  cloth  embroidered  with  white  and 
blue  beads,  some  entirely  of  marten  tails — war  suits  and 
dancing  suits  galore.  We  begged  him  to  dress  himself  in 
one  of  these  costumes,  but  pleaded  in  vain.  To  one  of  the 
young  men  of  the  party,  however,  he  took  a  decided  liking, 
and  put  on  him  his  favourite  suit,  even  to  his  crown  of 
feathers  and  mask.  Suddenly  he  said,  "  That  's  enough," 
and  looked  at  the  door.  Each  guest  felt  that  the  audience 
was  at  an  end,  and  only  stopped  to  get  a  peep  at  the  dozens 
of  beautiful  red  trunks  with  their  heavj'  brass  nails,  which 
seemingly  contained  stacks  more  of  weird  costumes.  We 
wandered  on  until  we  discovered  by  a  sign  above  another 
house  that  Jake  had  a  hated  rival  : 


Rightful  chief  of  all 

Neltusken, 
Gungh-Tah     Kooch 

aiulKooclikapen, 
Kuown  as  such  I  am, 

Kah  Chuckte, 
From  Yabulat  to  Far 

Stickeeu. 

Yes  my  name  it  is 
Kah  Chuckte, 

Manslayer  in  the 
Boston  tongue. 

Old  as  yonder  Gran- 
ite Mountains, 

Is  the  lineage 
whence  I  sprung. 


\/\AAA/VvV 


stores   of   furs    and 

blankets  pillaged 
By    the     "  Adams  " 

pirate  crew. 
Hough  Kah  Chuckte 

ever  neutral. 
Dwelt   afar   from 

Kootznakoo. 

Now   I   ask   not   for 

positions, 
Such  to  Jake  I  will 

concede. 
While  K  ih  Chuckte 

from  your  nation 
Will  for  justice  only 

plead. 


Such  a  pathetic  plea  forjustice  aroused  deep  sympathy  in 
the  hearts  of  those  who  read  in  favour  of  the  absent  chief- 
tain, and  gave  us  a  .still  keener  desire  to  learn  the  history  of 
the  little  village.  To  the  one  store  in  town  I  went — to  find 
a  locked  door.  I  asked  the  only  European  visible  in  that 
part  of  the  village  for  information.     None  to  be  had.     He 


Jake  and  His  Rival 


469 


directed  me  to  the  side  door  of  the  shop,  saj'ing,  "  The  pro- 
prietor is  there,  but  is  a  crank,  and  will  open  only  when  he 
feels  in  the  humour  to  do  so."  To  the  side  door  I  applied, 
and  asked  a  gruff-looking-  man  who  was  seated  at  a  desk. 


writing,  "  Can  you  give  me  a  book  or  pamphlet  or  any  in- 
formation about  this  place?"  "  None  whatever,"  he  re- 
plied, so  I  bowed  and  left.  I  climbed  thirty  or  forty  steps 
to  photograph  the  little  church,  but  as  the  day  was  dark, 
could  not  hope  for  good  results.     There  was  nothing  more 


4/0         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

to  be  seen  or  done  except  to  bu>'  a  curio  in  the  shape  of  a 
tiny  canoe  with  two  men  in  fur — one  paddling,  the  other 
with  spear  in  hand. 

Just  as  I  was  going  on  board  followed  by  the  faithful  Ivan, 
who  had  attracted  the  usual  amount  of  attention,  someone 
called,  "  Bring  your  camera  quick — here  's  the  chance  of  a 
lifetime,"  and  I  hastened  to  the  edge  of  the  wharf  to  see  a 
scow  so  laden  with  silver}'  herrings  that  men  were  standing 
knee-deep  among  them,  scooping  them  into  receptacles 
which  were  hauled  up  over  a  bridge,  from  which  the}-  were 
emptied  in  a  shower  into  a  waiting  car.  The  car  was  then 
hauled  by  cable  to  the  warehouses,  through  which  the  head 
man  soon  escorted  me  saying,  that  it  was  the  only  establisii- 
ment  of  the  kind  on  the  Pacific  coast ;  that  they  made  no  fuss 
about  what  they  were  doing,  but  employed  one  hundred  men 
when  they  were  running  full  time.  Caught  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  tons  of  fish  in  a  net  one  hundred  and  forty 
fathoms  long  and  seventy  feet  deep,  yielding  one  thousand 
three  hundred  and  fifty  barrels.  The  oil  is  used  by  miners, 
as  it  is  non-explosive,  and  is  also  boiled  for  paints.  The  pro- 
cesses, as  we  followed  them,  interested  us  greatlj-,  and  we  left, 
deeply  impressed  by  the  industry  of  the  Alaska  Oil  &  Guano 
Company. 

At  four  o'clock  we  were  off  again  and  watched  the  wonder- 
ful scenery  until  dinner-time.  The  Captain  .says  we  shall 
reach  Juneau  after  midnight,  leaving  by  6  .\.M.,  so  that  we 
shall  not  have  the  desired  opportunity  of  visiting  the  famous 

Alaska-Treadwell  mines. 

Friday,  October  yth. 

Through  the  window  this  morning  we  saw  .small  icebergs, 
some  in  the  shape  of  beautiful  swans,  others  resembling  ani- 
mals of  different  descriptions.  At  nine  came  a  knock  on  the 
door  and  an  inquiry  whether  the  ladies  were  in,  as  a  big 
paper  bag  was  handed  to  E .  We  peeped  to  see  the  con- 
tents as  eagerly  as  children,  shouting  with  exclamations  of 
delight  and  surprise  over  bananas,  peaches,  even  grapes, 
bonbons,  peanuts  !  "A  .slight  souvenir  of  Juneau,"  as  Mr. 
M (the  kindly  fellow  passenger  who  had  provided  E 


Jake  and  Mis  Ri\al 


471 


with  an  awning  during  the  previous  trip )  modestly  put  it. 

An  hour  after  we  received  a  siniihir  gift  from  Mr.  ,  of 

Vancouver,  another  fellow  passenger  from  Dawson. 

The  rain  was  falling,  the  steamer  overcrowded,  and  there 
was  not  a  place  to  sit  and  be  comfortable,  for  even  the  dining- 
room  chairs  were  all  in  use,  and  when  the  hour  approached 
for  la^-ing  the  tables,  their  occupants  were  obliged  to  stand, 

or  go  to  their  cabins.     E and  Mrs.  B went  to  break- 

fa.st,  after  which  the  latter  returned  and  entertained  me  with 


"  SOAPY"    SMITH    AND    HIS    GUN. 


stories  of  her  camp-life.  To  have  spent  two  years  in  that 
country,  without  paying  a  visit  to  Dawson  was  the  part  that 
astonished  me.  Having  purchased  in  Skaguay  photographs 
of  "  '  Soapy  '  Smith  at  rest,"  "  '  Soapy  '  Smith  sleeping  with 
shooting-iron,"  and  "  '  Soapy  '  Smith's  grave,"  his  story  in- 
terested me  greatl}-,  but  it  was  told  in  many  different  ways. 
The  following  version  was  repeated  oftener  than  any  other  : 
"  He  was  a  '  bunco  steerer  '   from  Denver,  who  went  to 

,  but  was  ordered  away.     Finally  he  settled  at  Skaguaj- 

with  twenty  or  more  of  his  followers.     One  of  the  latter  was 
a  newspaper-man,  whose  dut}-  it  was  to  interview  all  new 


472         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

arrivals.  When  he  found  that  they  had  money,  he  and 
'  Soapy  '  disposed  of  them  and  took  possession  of  the  funds. 
At  length  a  man  appeared  with  several  thousand  dollars  in 
gold  dust  which  he  wanted  to  exchange  at  the  bank,  but 
was  told  by  one  of  '  Soapy's  '  band  that  a  certain  friend  of 
his  would  give  a  dollar  more  an  ounce,  so  decided  to  transact 
the  business  with  him,  and  was  '  made  way  with  '  in  the 
usual  manner.  Whether  from  the  fact  that  the  money  was 
not  divided,  or  that  his  men  were  tired  of  being  ruled  by 
him,  is  not  known;  certain  it  is,  however,  that  one  of  them 
'  peached.'  A  mass-meeting  of  the  townspeople  was  held, 
and  as  they  were  trying  to  decide  what  disposition  to  make 
of '  Soap3' '  and  his  gang,  the  former  walked  in,  very  much 
under  the  influence  of  alcohol.  A  scuffle  ensued  in  which 
'  Soapy  '  and  the  marshal  were  the  principal  combatants  and 
were  botli  mortally  wounded.  The  entire  gang  was  .soon 
caught  and  lodged  in  jail  and  the  town  was  relieved  from 
the  desperadoes  who  had  made  life  a  burden." 

Another  story  of  him  was  as  follows  :  "  Soapy"  Smith 
called  one  day  on  a  new  arrival — a  missionary — pretended 
great  interest  in  his  work,  and  asked  if  he  had  been  sent  out 
empty-handed.  "  Yes,"  said  the  man,  "  but  if  you  will 
assist  me  I  shall  soon  have  enough  to  enable  me  to  be  of 
much  use."  "  Put  me  down  for  a  thousand  dollars,"  said 
"  Soapy,"  "  and  when  '  the  boys  '  see  my  name  at  the  head 
of  the  list,  they  '11  all  chip  in  ;  then  when  you  've  got  all 
3-ou  can  from  them,  come  to  me  and  you  maj-  have  the  gold 
dust."  The  missionary,  greatly  encouraged,  searched  the 
camp  diligently  for  subscribers.  A  few  weeks  later  he  re- 
ceived another  visit  from  "  Soapy  "  who  asked  whether  he 
had  met  with  much  success.  "  Yes,  thanks  to  you,"  said 
the  missionary,  "  I  have  now  nearly  two  thousand  dollars." 
"  Hand  it  over  !  "  exclaimed  "  Soapy  "  and  his  startled  host, 
looking  into  the  muzzle  of  a  revolver,  obeved  orders. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 


FAREWELL   TO    ALASKA  _ 


ALTHOUGH  the  rain  was  still  falling,  we  prepared  to  go 
on  shore  at  Wrangel,  and  passed  the  time  before  ar- 
rival chatting  pleasantly  with  Captain  T ,  who  is  still 

obliged  to  sleep  on  the  dining-room  table,  althongh  it  is 
loudly  whispered  that  there  are  a  number  of  vacant  bunks 
on  board.  The  first  time  he  asked  the  purser  for  one  of 
Ihein,  he  was  told  that  it  had  been  partially  promised  to  an- 
other man  ;  the  second  time,  that  he  nn'ght  have  it  "  if  the 
other  man  did  not  applj'  before  night";  the  third,  that  if 
he  could  discover  which  bunk  was  vacant  he  might  put  in 
an  application  ;  so,  rather  than  be  subjected  to  further  in- 
dignities, he  decided  to  endure  being  ordered  from  his  short 
repose  on  the  table  at  four  each  morning.  As  we  tied  up  to 
the  dock  at  Wrangel,  the  night  was  black,  and  the  rain  still 
falling  in  torrents  :  although  we  landed,  we  were  not  able  to 
see  our  way  into  the  town  without  the  aid  of  a  lantern,  which 
it  was  not  possible  to  obtain.  Fortunately,  a  man  came  on 
board  with  samples  of  rocks  from  the  Stickeen  River,  in 
which  were  embedded  large  garnets,  and  I  managed  to  se- 
cure some  fine  specimens  as  souvenirs. 

October  8th. 
A  rainy,  nasty  day  !  We  reached  Ketchikan  at  six 
o'clock,  too  early  to  dress  and  go  on  shore,  and  after  that, 
were  only  to  stop  at  Mary  Island  for  a  few  hours  to  leave 
there  the  winter's  supply  of  coal.  "  Absolutely  nothing  to 
see,"   Mrs.  B assured  us.     "  We  do  not  even  go  to  a 

473 


474         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

dock,  as  there  is  none  to  go  to,  and  the  coal  is  put  off  in  bags, 
on  a  boat."  We  had  heard  most  alarming  stories  of  the 
roughness  of  the  waters  at  Dixon  Entrance,  so  we  three  con- 
cluded to  be  on  the  safe  side,  and  remain  in  bed.  Our 
suspicions  of  "a  bad  day  before  us"  were  confirmed  by  the 
unusually  early  arrival  of  the  man  in  charge  of  filling  the 
lamps,  who  said,  "  I  must  do  them  now,  as  it  ma}'  be  too 
rough  later."  One  of  the  stewards  looked  in,  to  see  that 
everything  was  well  secured,  telling  us  that,  on  a  previous 
trip,  a  tremendous  wave  had  knocked  in  the  door  of  this 
very  cabin,  split  open  the  bunk  in  which  I  was  lying,  and 

washed  out  a  mother  and  babe,  who  were  in  E 's  bunk. 

After  such  preparations,  the  reality  was  indeed  tame,  for 
we  had  but  a  gentle  rocking  motion  which  lasted  only  a  few 
hours,  and  soon  rounded  the  point  and  were  in  smooth  water 
again.  I  forgot  to  jot  down  that  before  leaving  W'rangel 
there  were  several  boys  on  the  dock  shouting,  "  Seattle 
papers  of  the  4tli  and  the  6th."  That  they  .should  have 
papers  of  so  recent  a  date  aroused  my  suspicions,  so  that,  for 
the  first  time,  I  did  not  call  for  the  latest  news.  Several 
men  did,  however.  The  bo\-s  sold  their  papers  and  ran. 
By  the  time  they  had  disappeared,  their  victims  had  dis- 
covered that  6th  of  July,  instead  of  6th  of  October  was  the 
heading  of  their  reading-matter. 

Monday,  October  lotli. 
A  rough  night  !     Reached  Departure  Bay  at  g  A.:\r.     As 
the  Captain  decided  not  to  stop  at  Victoria,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  only  three  passengers  were  booked  for  that  port,  and 

that  the  cost  of  wharfage  was  verj-  great,   Mr.  M and 

Mr. bade  ns  good-bye  and  left  by  train.     Late  in  the 

evening  we  made  Port  Townsend,  reaching  Seattle  after 
midnight. 

Tuesday,  October  nth. 

We  three  women  suffered  veritable  torture  last  night  !    We 

were  shut  in  a  cabin  six  by  eight,  with  bunks  so  near  each 

other  that  to  sit  up  was  an  impossibility.     One  or  two  of  the 

passengers  who  had  not  been  able  to  procure  extra  blankets 


47^         Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

had  asked  to  have  the  steam  turned  on,  and  turned  on  it 
was  !  At  midnight,  we  compared  notes  and  found  that  no 
Turkish  bath  could  have  surpassed  in  temperature  that  which 
we  were  enduring.  There  were  no  hells  to  ring,  and  no  one 
to  call.  How  we  longed  for  morning  !  At  four  o'clock  I 
could  bear  it  no  longer,  got  up,  dressed,  and  sat  on  deck, 
and  the  others  were  not  long  in  following  my  example.  At 
the  same  time,  I  mu.st  in  justice  add  that  the  steamer  was 
clean  and  the  service  wonderfully  good,  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  fact  that  there  were  three  sets  of  passengers 
for  each  meal,  so  overcrowded  was  the  .ship  ;  the  cuisine  was 
really  excellent.  The  only  other  cause  of  complaint  is  the 
way  in  which  the  three  bunks  are  crowded  together  one 
above  the  other,  but  that  seems  to  be  a  custom  of  the  Pacific 
coast. 

We  reached  Hotel  Butler  in  the  early  morning  and  were 
soon  surrounded  by  reporters,  many  of  whom  it  would  per- 
haps have  been  advisable  to  see,  in  which  case  they  would 
not  have  written,  "  The  ladies  were  obliged  to  travel  through 
the  Klondike  in  men's  clothing,"  or,  "  The  ladies  astonished 
the  miners  with  their  silks  and  .satins,  laces  and  diamonds." 

We  soon  received  many  invitations,  and  were  .shown 
that  cordial  hospitality  for  which  Seattle  is  famous,  but 
we  could  not  tarry  long,  as  we  were  anxious  to  reach  our 
own  firesides.  Our  trip  had  come  to  an  end,  and  although 
the  privations  had  been  many,  they  had  been  more  than 
compensated  for  by  the  kind  friends  we  had  made,  by  the 
insight  we  had  gained  into  a  phase  of  life  hitherto  unknown 
to  us,  by  the  magnificence  of  the  scenery,  and  by  the  novelty 
of  the  experience. 


INDEX 


A 


Acetylene  bicycle  lamps,  price  of, 
214  ;  light.    242,   317,   339,  340, 

355 

Acres,  number  of,  allowed  to  one 
person,  loS,  356,  357 

Adams,  Fort,  76 

Adele,  a  mandolin  player  in  Daw- 
son, 146 

Alaska,  missionaries  in,  10,  18,  61  ; 
the  natives  of,  iS,  19,  26-29,  4ii 
62,  66,  67,  466,  467  ;  Russian 
priests  in,  18,  29;  dogs  of,  50, 
65,  66,  68,  71,  73,  78,  115,  116, 
190,  224,  226,  230,  261,  367.  371  ; 
vegetables  raised  in,  67,  88,  95  ; 
pioneers  of,  77,  79,  89,  95,  406 

Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
the,  reputation  of,  3,  134 ; 
steamships  of  the,  3,  4,  14 ; 
generosity  of,  21,  106;  pam- 
phlet of,  2S  ;  stores  of,  25,  26, 
53.  71.  74.  77.  80,  81,  91,  99, 
154,  et  passim  ;  river  steamers 
of,  32,  33,  48 ;  allowance  of 
freight,  211  ;  manager  of,  337- 
339.  377.  3S1-3S4.  3S6.  3S9- 
395  ;  uniform  prices  of,  377  ;  re- 
liability of,  3S5  ;  great  work  of, 
394 

Alaska  Oil  and  Guano  Companv, 
469 

Alaska  Steamship  Companies,  ri- 
valry between,  32 

Alaska  Treadwell  Mines,  27S,  469 

Alder  Creek,  So 

Aleuts,  the,  28 

Alice,  the,  67,  63 


Alliance,  the,  106 

Audreafsky,  62 

Animatoscope,  the,  plans  to  ex- 
hibit, 241,  248,  249,  258,  259, 
262,  265-267,  276,  305  ;  "Arizona 
Charlie's,"  284,  286,  2S7  ;  disap- 
pointments in  regard  to,  292, 
30S,  313,  331-333.  339.  347.  350, 
355  ;    successful   exhibition  of, 

357-359 
Anne,  the,  341 
Aphoou  River,  the,  62 
Arctic    Express    Compan\-,    the, 

399.  415 
"  Arizona  Charlie,"  the  animato- 
scope  show   of,    284,    2S6,   287, 
289,  300,  305,  351,  357,  3S4  ;  376, 

397 
}    Attorney,  power  of,  given  to  Colo- 
nel K".,  385,389,  390 
Aurora  borealis,  .86,  405,  423 
Australia,  Western,  mines  of,  423 
Australian  dogs,  398,  399 


Ball,  masquerade,  in  Dawson,  306 
Banjo  playing,  10,  22,  215 
Barge,  use  of,  on   the  Yukon,  25, 
33  ;  accommodations  on  a,  45- 
51.   55-57.   60,  61  ;  discomforts 
of  life  on    a,  60,   61,  64,  65,  67- 
69.  73.  77.  78,  82-90 
Barnard,  Lieutenant,  71 
Barr,  John  C.  the,  88,  93,  404 
Battenliury,  President,  399 
Bear,  the,  17,  37,  39 


477 


478 


Index 


Bear  Creek,  bench  claim  on,  212  ; 
claims  on,  slaked  and  recorded, 
244,  263,  274,  275,  299 ;  the 
comiiijj  El  Dorado,  359,  36S, 
371  ;  sample  of  gold  from,  3S8, 
397 

Bears,   64,  82,   199,   227,   22S,   295, 

296.  434.  435 
Beet,  roast,   278,  381  ;  steak,   234, 

3S7 
Bella,  the,  45,  121,  125,  126 
Bench  claims  (see  Claims) 
Bennett,  373,  434,  439  ;  Lake,  317, 

31S,  435 
Bering,  Sea,  57  ;  Strait,  28 
Big  Minook  Creek,  So 
Bills,  202,   203,  217,   23S,  29S,  306, 

334.  335.  351.352 

Birch  Creek,  86,  gi,  40S 

Black  Foot  Camp,  62 

Blankets,  115,  119,  15S,  16S,  172, 
176,  191,  34J,  439,  440,  445,  446, 
44S 

Blasting  on  theSkaguay  trail.  452 

Bloomers,  utility  of,  in  the  Klon- 
dike. 240,  327,  442 

Bluebells  found  at  Andreafsky,  62 

Boats  on  the   Yukon,    71,  73,  75, 

99.  450 

Bonanza,  kings,  178,  21S,  243; 
mines,  173,  184,  249,  271,  285, 
322,  328,  356,  371  ;  River,  160 

Books  and  papers,  sale  of,  298 

Bowling-alley,  the,  241,  249,  250, 
259,  262,  265,  266,  272,  29S,  341 

"Boys,"  the  sick,  122,  125,  140, 
269-271,  2S5,  286,  315,  316,  395 

Bread,  price  of,  at  Circle  City,  89  ; 
price  of,  at  Dawson,  116,  264, 
275,  379  ;  making  in  the  Klon- 
dike, 226,  22S,  247,  260,  304 

Brewery,  the,  23S 

Brooms,  price  of,  in  Dawson,  324, 

3SI 

Bunk  house,  a,  444-449 

Business  schemes  and  proposi- 
tions, 240,  241,  246,  247,  249, 
250-259,  271,  303-326 

Butter,  comer  in,  377 


Cabbages  grown  in  Alaska,  95 
Cache  built  to  secure  land,  345, 
354.  355.  35S.  360,  385,  3S7,  396 


Cafe,  Regina,  250 

Calcium    carbide,    214,    317,    350, 

355 
Canada,  crossing  the  bouudarv-  of, 

93 
Canaries  taken  to  the  Klondike, 

6,  43,  49,  74,  120,  124,  285 
Canoes,  birch  bark,  61,  66,  168; 

Peterboro',    120,    146,    147,    152, 

155.  272,  300,  304,  307,  314,  374, 

403.  450 
Cariljou,  28,  263 
Carpenter,  the  boss,  286,  290,  315, 

321.  333.  335,  339.  344.  349.  352, 

354 
Cartage,  bill  for,  29S 
Catholic  Mission,  70 
Cattle,  402,  404,  406 
Celery  grown  iu  Alaska,  67 
Certificate,     of    deposit,    107  ; 

miner's,  153,  244,  245 
Champagne,  in  Dawson,  130,  276, 

310.  339 
Checks,    percentage   on   cashing, 

344 
"  Chee  Charkers,"    142,  171,   235, 

239.  242 
Chilkoot  Pass,  the,  113,  127,  128, 

354.  439 

Chips,  143,  144,  146,   148,  215 

Chloride,  298 

Chukchi,  the,  28 

Church  services  in  the  "  big  tent," 
136,  162-165,  193,  214,  232,  263, 
26S 

Cider,  patent,  120,  295 

Circle  City,  85,  88,  89,  91,  243,  250 

Cilvo/Topeka,  the,  459 

Claims,  bench,  174,  175.  212.  271  ; 
on  El  Dorado,  200,  212  ;  on  Bear 
Creek,  212,  271  ;  placer,  205  ; 
staked,  141,  171,  174,  194,  209, 
242,  263,  307,  368  ;  diiSculties  in 
recording,  224,  226,  243-245, 
249,  250,  304,  328  ;  for  sale,  210, 
357;  demand  for  "lays"  on, 
360,  361,  36S,  371,  ef  passivi. 

Clara,  the,  386,  387,  389-392.  397, 

399 
"Clean-ups,"  at  mines,  160,  162, 

176,  180,  181,  184,  1S5 
Clergymen,       Presbyterian,        in 

Dawson,  113,  136,  162,  193,  214, 

234.  268 
Coal,  price  of,  on  the  Yukon,  78 


Index 


479 


Coffin,  price  of,  in  Dawson,  319 

Colorado  Soriniis,  3 

Columljia  Navi,i,'ation  Company, 
tbe,  34,  73 

Columbian,  the,  354,  364,  368, 
37^-376.  37S,  4" 

Combination  Company  Theatre, 
the,  143,  146,  14S,  357,  358,  360 

Constantine,  Fort,  96 

Consul,  American,  at  Dawson, 
154,  165,  i65,  194,  216 

Cook,  in  search  of  a,  115,  118,  120, 
214,  216,  228,232;  wages  of,  at 
Circle  City,  89 ;  wages  of,  at 
Dawson,  121,  226;  society 
"boys"  as,  231,   234,  276,309, 

310 
Copper  River,  the,  77.  86 
Cotton-buds  at  Andreafsky,  67 
Cows,  incident  with  Alaskan,  50, 

51 
Crane,  flocks  of,  405 
Criterion,  the,   ll6,   118,    164,  204, 

211,  27S,  304 
Crown    Timber    Agent,    the,  154, 

294.  356,  359.  360.  396 
Cudahy,  I'ort,  95 
Currants  found  near  Circle  City, 

88 
Custom-House    experieiices,    26- 

28,  40,  112,  297,  306,  334,  445 
Customs,    Collector  of,   216,    292, 

39)  ;  Inspector  of,  26-2S 


Darolc,  Jose,  154 

Dawson,  prices  in,  36,  38,  90,  104, 
124,  126,  156,  190,  191,  239,  246, 
29S,  340.  355.  377,  3*^'. ;  ''Windy 
Bill,"  the  mail-carrier  to,  41, 
42  ;  the  founder  of,  51-53  ;  sani- 
tary condition  of,  51,  67,  68,  75, 
79,  89,  90,  125,  359,  37S;  the 
arrival  at,  99,  100;  description 
of,  100,  102,  104,  129,  130,  146; 
hotels  in,  102,  141,  214,  215, 
384,  391,  392,  394,  395  ;  rules  in 
regard  to  drinks  in.  106,  143, 
144,  146,  215  ;  doctors'  fees  in, 
107,  238,  280,  295  ;  garden  pro- 
duce in,  loS,  235,  2.S2  ;  our  first 
dinner  in  a  log  cabin  in,  138- 
140;  weather  in,   115,   118,  119, 


ct  passim  ;  doing  the  town  of, 
140-146 ;  character  of  place 
changing,  239  ;  crowds  at  night 
in  streets  of,  283,  2S4  ;  wedding 
in,  271,  310;  fear  of  being 
"frozen  in,"  for  the  winter, 
312,  372-39S  ;    departure  from, 

39S 
Dawson    Annex,    or    West,     104, 

345.    351.     352,    357-359.    362  ; 

church    services    in,    113,    136, 

162-165,  193.  214,  232,  263,  26S 
Deer  iu  Alaska,  28 
Denver,  3 

Departure  Bay,  474 
Dinner-parlies  in  the  "big  tent," 

165,  166,  194,  276 
Dixon  Entrance,  474 
Doctors,  prices  for  attendance  of, 

in  Dawson,  107,  23S,  280,  295 
Dogs,  Alaskan,  or  "  Siwash,"  51), 

65,  66,  68,   71,  73,  78,  190,  261, 

367.    371  ;     pack-,  115,    116;    at 

work,  224,  226,   230  ;  iu  Sitka, 

461  ;  Australian,  398,  399 
Dominion,    mines    on,    160,    196, 

320 
Doinvillc,    the,   accommodations 

on,  364,  383 ;  race  of,  with  the 

Flora,  411-421,  426 
Drinks,  rule  in  theatres  in  regard 

to,  143,  144,  146,  215,  216 
Ducks,    wild,    28,    263,    268,   270, 

278,  400 
Dutch  Harbour,  21 
Duty,  on  cargo,  306  ;  on  lumber, 

272  ;  excessive,  334,  341 
Dyea,  132,  254,  256,'439"^,  442 
Dysentery  in  Dawson,  130,  359 


Eagle  City,  250 

Edgecombe,  Mount,  462 

El  Dorado  Creek,  409,  410  ;  River, 

175  ;    claims  on,    160,    180-182, 

T96,  212,  214  ;  322 
Electric-light  plant,  3S4 
Empire  Line,  the,  3 
Episcopal  Mission  at  Fort  Adams, 

76 
Eskimos  of  Alaska,  28,  62,  66,  67 
Eschanjje,  rate  of,  107 


48o 


Index 


Fairview  Hotel,  the,  dinners  at, 
214,  215,   384,  391,  392,  394,  395 

Fawcett,  Thomas,  153  • 

Ferns  found  at  Andreafsky,  62 

Fish  in  the  Klondike,  5S,  66,  118, 
120,  12S,  156,  158,  199,  215,  278, 
364.  367,  370,  379 

Five  Fingers  (itr  Rink  Rapids) 

Flora,  the,  373-375.  37''^.  3S1-3S3. 
3S6,  387,  389,  390,  399  ;  accom- 
modations on,  391,  392  ;  the 
race  of,  with  the  Dcimmlle,  411 
-427 

Flowers,  wild,  at  Uualaska,  17  ; 
along  the  Yukon,  62,  63,  74, 
93  ;  at  Dawson,  113,  322 

Fog,  76,  424 

Foliage,  on  Yukon,  402,  425  ;  in 
Dawson,  354 

Forts,  Adams,  76 ;  Constantiue, 
96;  Cudahy,  95,  96;  Hamlin, 
80,  81,  85  ;  Selkirk,  95,  96,  372, 
373.  403-405 ;  Wrangel,  472, 
474  ;  Yukon,  86 

Forty  Mile,  94-96,  364,  446;  Creek, 
408 

Franklin,  Sir  John,  71 

Freight-rates,  157,  305,    318,   327, 

341.  439 
Fruit,  wild,  near  Circle  City,  88 
Fuel  used  on  river   steamers,  62- 

64,    70,   76,   78,  84,   87,  93,   96, 

309.  332.  414.  415,  423 
Funeral   iu   West   Dawson,   321- 

■  323 
Furniture,  home-made,   122,   127, 

128 
Fur  robes,  114,  119,  122,  156,  157, 
220,  231,  236,  250,  358 


Game,  28,   58,   62,   263,   26S,  369, 

400 
Garnets     from     Stickeen    River, 

472 
Gasoline,  298,  351,  357,  384 
Geese,  wild,  28,  369 
Ghost  stories,  231,  236 
Gnats,  74 
Gold,    carried  from  Dawson,    36, 

44-46;    on     Birch     Creek,    91; 

at     Forty     Mile,     94,    95  ;   on 

Koyukuk     River,    45,    71  ;    on 


Dominion,  196  ;  on  El  Dorado. 
176,  181,  182,  196  ;  on  Bear 
Creek,  359,  36S,  388,  397  ;  pan- 
ning out,  96,  173,  174,  182,  1S5 

Gold  dust,  45,  239,  241,  248,288, 
328,  377,  418 

Gold  mines,  placer,  91,  205  ;  the 
visit  to,  167-igo  ;  claims  offered 
in,  '2.\oct  passim 

Goldberg  and  Bowen,  325,  330 

Golden  Gate,  the,  2 

Golden  Star,  the,  425 

Gordon's  Camp,  171 

Grand  Forks  Hotel,  160,  173 

Graphophone,  the,  114,  204,  209, 
231 

Grocers,  San  Francisco,  325,  330  ; 
Dawson,  325,  328,  329,  335-340 

Groundsel  found  along  the  Yu- 
kon, 74 

Grouse,  willow,  28 

Grub-stakiug,  71,  80,  141 

Guitar  playing,  10,  215,  220,  384 

H 

Half-way   House,   the,     171,    185- 

187 
Ham-Grease  Saloon,  the,  454 
Hamlin,  Fort,  80,  81,  85 
Hannah,  the,  292 
Heuey,  (sec  White  Pass  City) 
Herring  fishery,  469 
Hoffman  House,  the,  141,391 
Hoh-  Cross  Mission,  67 
Hootalinqua  Post,  428 
Horses  in  Dawson,  168-170,  173, 

179,    185,    1S8,    203,    217,     257, 

277,  2S0,  2S1,  2S5,  290,  357 
Horse-flies,  74 
Hospital,  the,  212,  23S,  287,  288; 

Sisters  at,  108,  154,  155,  378 
Hotel,     Butler,    475  ;      Dawson, 

439  ;   Fort   Get   There,  40,   42  ; 

Millmore,  460 
House-building,  {see  Log  cabin) 
Hunker,  mines  on,  196 
Hunter  Creek,  So 
"Huskies,"  86 

I 

Ice,  near  surface  of  the  ground, 
62,  12S,  283,  321  ;  ready  to  form 


in   the   Yukon,    352, 
381,  3S2,  388,  416 


373i 


Index 


48 1 


Icebergs,  22,  23,  469 

Ice-cream,  freezer,  72,  73,  93; 
suppers,  219,  220,  234-236,  23S 

Ikoginiut,  or  Russian  Mission,  66 

Iliuliuk,  i'lialaska,  26 

Iiniiaiiii,  the,  3 

Indian  River,  466,  467 

Indian,  story  of,  guide,  132,  152  ; 
murderer  iyncbed,  419,  446 

Indians,  Alaskan,  iS,  26,  27,  58, 
6l,  63,  64,  66,  67,  70,  71,  77,  86, 
S9,  151,  152,  239,414,  446,  460, 
462,  465-467  ;  object  to  being 
photograpbed,  70,  278,  279,  461 

Ingabks,  tbe,  66 

Innuits,  tbe,  66 

Investments,  opportunities  for 
good,  357,  371,  372,  382 

Isaacs,  our  Jack-of-all-trades, 
121-190  ;  duties  and  wages  of, 
191  ;  trouble  with,  192-21 1  ;  de- 
parts, 212,  216-218  ;  returns, 
224,  235,  296,  307 

Ivan,  a  Great  Dane,  I,  6,  36,  50, 
51,  5:„  54,  62,  64,68,71,  73,  78, 
79,  119,  120,  151,  162,  20S,  221, 
226,  230  ct passim  ;  prepares  to 
depart,  388  ;  dela\'s  the  Flora, 
422  ;  454,  461,  462,469 


"Jake"  of  Killisnoo,  466,  467 

James,  Bushrod  Washington,  91 

Jesse  Lee  Home,  the,  17,  18 

"Jinks,"  321 

Johnson-Locke  Company,  tbe, 
winter  stores  sent  by,  211,  242, 
266,  274,  292,  350,  355 

Jones,  John,  122,  130, 132,  137,  151; 

introduces    A M ,    the 

Klondike  King,  158  ;  160,  203  ; 
on  guard,  231,  236  ;  kindness 
of,  222-359  ct  passim  ;  at  cross 
purposes,  360  ft  passim 

Juneau,  souvenir  of,  461,  470 


Kayak,  native  Alaskan  boat,   19, 

41,  66 
Ketchikan,  472 
Killisnoo,  466-469 
King  Island,  22 


Klondike,  proper  mode  of  dress 
in  the,  240,  327  ;  spirit  of  neigh- 
bourly kindness  shown  in  the, 
116,  214,  324  ft  passim  ;  refrig- 
erator, 123  ;  weather,  180,  197, 
205,  220,  221,  231,  261,  264,  295, 
297.  303,  308,  309.  322,  327.  334, 
342,  352,  3^0.  362,  365,  376,  3S1, 
3S7  . 

Klondike  City,   320 

Klondike  gold-fields,  91,  160,  173, 
180-182,  184,  196,  212,  214,  249, 
271,  320.  322,  356,  359,  36S,  3-[ 
rt  passim 

Klondike  Kings,  51,  79,  109,  162, 

301,346,  406;  Bill  L ,  story 

of,  406-410,  417,  418,  426,  435, 

437.  43S.  440;  J L ,  51- 

53,  274,  291,  292  ;  A M , 

158,  160,  J67-185,  196,  210,  214- 
217.  234,  271,  274-278,299,  383  ; 
letters  to,  109-112,  301,  302, 
346,  379,  380 

Klondike  Nugget,  the,  113,  136, 
150,  165,  194,  274,  399 

Klondike  River,  the,  99,  102,  160, 
189,  427 

KoUik,  62 

Korkorin,  Russian  trader,  74 

Koserefsky,  67 

Koyukuk  River,  the.  36,  45,  70, 
71,  So,  141,  152 


Ladue.   Joseph,     Company,    211; 

warehouses,  273,  274,  291,  292 
Lake  Bennett,  317,  318,  435 
Landslide,  the,  226 
Laundry,  the,  at  Uualaska,  15-17  ; 

work,  68,  69,  102,  209,   23S,  345, 

3S1 
"Lay,"  work  involved  in  taking 

a,  368,  369 
Leah,  the,  49,  50,  54,  57,  58,  87, 

93,  96,  112 
Letters  to  Klondike  Kings,   109- 

112,  301,  302,  346,  379,  380 
Lettuce,  grown  in  Alaska,  88,  95 
Library  of  winter  reading,  offer 

for,  2S4  ;  disposal  of,  298 
Lirae-Iight,  299 
Linderman,  Lake,  346,  442 
Linen,  offer  for  household,  209 
Little  Tilinook  Creek,  80 


482 


Index 


Log  cabiu,  dinner  party  in  a,  13S, 
139  ;  permit  to  build  our,  242  ; 
site  of  our,  261-263,  265  ;  trials 
of  buildiuo;,  25S,  259,  262-264, 
266,  272,  277,  2S0-2S2,  2S5,  288, 
302,  303,  308,  315,  325,  342,  345, 
351,  352,  i^(>,  3S9,  390;  further 
expense  of,  308,  315,  344  ;  fin- 
ished, 349,  350,  370 

Lots,  buildini;,  size  of,  261,  262, 
273.  35S,  360,  362,  376 

Louse-town,  189,  190,  197,  320 

L^'nchiug,  story  of,  at  Sheep 
Camp,  252-257;  of  Indian 
murderer,  419,  446 

Lynxskin  robe,  utility  of,  156, 
157,  358,  370,  376 

M 

Mackenzie  River,  the,  86 

Magic-lantern,  the,  241,  259,  304  ; 
show,  354,  355,  358,  379,  387 

Mail,  early  difficulties  in  carry- 
ing, to  Dawson,  41,  42;  slow 
distribution  of,  154,  161,  165, 
20S,  217,  291.  363,  396 

Main  Street,  Dawson,  246,  250, 
355,  373  ct passim 

Malakhof,  71 

Malaria  in  Dawson,  79 

Mammoth,  tooth  of,  found  in 
gold  mine,  413,  414 

Mammoth  Island,  85 

Mandolin  pla3-ing,  7,  10,  22,  120, 
146,  204,  215,^  220,  369,  370,  3S4 

Manganese,  29S 

3Iargaret,  the,  74-76 

Marsh  Lake,  435 

Marten  skins,  74 

Mary  Island,  472 

Mastodon,  fossil  remains  of  the, 
85,  86 

Mattresses,  air,  inutility  of,  114, 
115,  141,  197 

May  West,  the,  311,  425 

Men-of-war   at   St.   Michaels,  39, 

43 

Mice,  field,  250,  310,  311,  365,387 

Middle  Lake,  449 

Miles  Caiion,  427 

Milk,  malted,  price  of,  29S 

Miller  Creek,  408 

Miners,  returning  from  the  Klon- 
dike, 36,  43-46 ;  costumes  of,  45  ; 


government  b}-,  in  Circle  City, 
91  ;  courtesy  and  kindness 
shown  to  women  by,  104,  113- 
Ii5,  175,  243,  307  cf  passim; 
hardships  of,  171,  172,  iSo,  1S6, 
187,  371,  372  ;  justice  dealt  by, 
239,  257  ;  packs,  16S,  178,  179, 
185,  188,  197,  274  ;  wrongs  and 
grievances  of,  180,  239,  320,  369  ; 
death   of  a,  in   West  Dawsou, 

31S-323 
Missionaries  to  the  Klondike,  10, 

61,  405 
Missions  in  Alaska,  17,  iS,  21,  66, 

76,  96,  463 
IMonarch,  the,  88 
Monte  Carlo  Theatre,  106 
Moonlight,  42,  186,  277,  278,  405, 

415.  427 
Moose,  82,   263;  steak,    124,   126, 

156,  171,379 
Mosquitoes,  26,  60,  62,  64,  66,  68, 

74,  S5,  87 
Mount  Edgecombe,  462 
Muck-a-lucks,    53,    77,    126,    17S, 

1S6,  188,327 
Mulberries  found  near  Circle  Citv, 

88 
Music-box  {see  Criterion) 
Muskrats,  skins  of,  63 
Mutton,  leg  of,  price  of,  156,  163, 

194 

N 

Newspapers,  price  of,  18,  19,  136, 
360,  413 

"Nigger Jim,"  proprietor  of  the 
Hoffman  House,  39,  106,  141, 
142,  144,  146,  307,  391 

Nine  Mile  River,  435 

Nora,  the,  399,  428  ;  accommo- 
dations on,  434-43S 

North  American  Transportation 
Company,  the,  88,  137,  215,  344, 

371,  3S5 
Xorlh  Star,  the,  464 
Northern  Lights  {sec  Aurora  Bore- 

alis) 
Novikakat,  74 
Nuggets  from  various  mines,  46, 

71,   79,   94,   143,    160,    173,   174. 

181,  182,  184,  185,  194,  271,  372, 

410 
Nulato,  70,  71 
Nurses,  trained,  298,  382 


Index 


48: 


o 


Oats,  altempts  to  raise,  at  Forty 

Mile,  96 
Ogilvie's  Guide-Book,  91,  93,  94 
Ohio,  the,  3 
Old  Log  Cabin  Hotel,  439,  444, 

449 
Ora,  tlie,  214,  215,  291,  306,  317, 

339.  354.  399.  405,  413 
Oranges,  at    Forty    Mile,    97  ;    at 

Dawson,  116,    122,  250;  on  the 

Pass,  443 
Orchestra,  on  the  .St.  Paul,  10  ;  on 

barge,  64,   77  ;  Col.  B ,  the 

fiddler  of,   8,   10,  68,  70,  97,  98 ; 

in   Dawson,    106,   146,  215,  220, 

3S4,  394 
Oysters,    eastern,  in    Alaska,   39, 

116,  215,  457  ;  cocktails,  102 


Packs,  miners',  168,  17S,  179,  185, 

iSS,  197,  235,  275 
Panning  out  gold,   96,    173,    174, 

182,  185 
Parrot,  taken  to  the  Klondike,  6, 

49,   120,  124,  190,  205,  208,  210, 

2ir,   278;  reported   dead,  302  ; 

mystery    concerning   the,    348, 

404 
Pearline,  price  of,  294 
Permit  to  build,  263,  265 
Peterboro'   canoes,   120,   146,    152, 

155,  403 
Pheasant,  the,  465 
Photographs  at  midnight,  24,  37  ; 

learning  to  develop,  239  ;   268 
Pigeons  taken  to  Dawson,   6,  49, 

55,   90,   113,    116,   120,    121,   128, 

134,  136,  137,  150,  157,  15S,  164, 

190,  191,  193,  2o5 
Pillows,  air,  115,  122,  125,  318 
Pioneer  Hall,  24S 
Placer  mines,  91,  205 
Plover,  58 
Police,  North-west  Mounted,  224, 

314,  400 
Porcupine  River,  86 
Portage,  the,  at  the  Rapids,  431  ; 

on  the  Pass,  450 
Portland,  the,  34 
Port  Townseud,  474 
Post-oflSce,  in   Circle  City,  89  ;  in 

Dawson,  154,  161,  356, '363,  396 


Potatoes,  grown   in    Alaska,    95  ; 

"  human,"  174,  179,  3S1,  435 
Priest  Rock,  the,  14 
Provisions,  sale  of  winter  supply 

of,   305,  306.  324.  330.  33:.  335- 

339 

Q 

Quartz,  129,  201,  314 

Quartz  Creek,  224,  244 

Queen,  a  Great  Dane,  I,  5,  20,  21, 

36,  43,  49,  50  ;  sent  back  to  San 

Francisco,  53 


R 


Radishes  grown  in  .Alaska,  88,  95, 

108,  114,  235 
Rafts,  240,  282,  283,  290,  291,  wo. 

374 
Railroad  station    at    White   Pass 

City,  454-456 
Rain     in   Dawsou,   102,   126,   127, 

137,  217,  285,  286,  299,  308,  309, 

360,  362,  369,  376-378 
Rampart  City,  5,  78,  80 
Ramparts,  the,  80,  85 
Rapids,  White  Horse,  391 
Raspberries    found    near    Circle 

City,  88 
Record  Office,  154,   171,   212,  224, 

243.  328 
Refrigerator,  a  Klondike,  12S 
Regina  Cafe,  250 
Restaurants,    prices   in,    89,    107, 

340 
Retort  of  .A.nimatoscope,  rotten, 

313.  317.  320,  325,  326,  332 
Rideout,   the,  243,  264,  265,  267, 

272,  274,  282,  284,  2S7,  292,  298, 

385 

Rink  Rapids,  the,  or  Five  Fin- 
gers, 418,  420-422 

River  steamers  on  the  Yukon,  32 
-34,  50,  67,  75,  81,  87,  291,  354, 
373.  3S3.  3S6.  390,  402,  412,  413 
ct  scq.,  428,  434  ;  fuel  used  on, 
62-64,  76,  78,  96,  2,o()  et  passim 

PoanoAf,  the,  33,  34,  37-40 

Roses,  wild,  on  the  Yukon,  63,  74 

Roulette  table,  384,  385 

Rovalty,  excessive  rate  of,  on 
Canadian  gold  mines,  79,  161, 
180 


484 


Index 


Rubber  boots,  126,  327,  331,  351 
Russian  Church  in  Alaska,  62,  65, 
464,  465  ;  priests,  iS,  29 


Saint  Anne,  Sisters  of,  67 

St.  Josephs,  Victoria,  108,  155 

St.  Michael,  Cathedral  of,  464 

St.  Michaels,  the  arrival  at,  25  ; 
detention  at,  32-54  ;  ships  in 
harbour  of  37,  39,  43,  47  ;  shop- 
ping in,  52-54  ;  departure  from, 
54 ;  price  of  fares  from,  to 
Dawson,  69,  7S 

St.  Paul,  the,  steamship  of 
Alaska  Commercial  Company, 
first  trip  of,  2-25,  31  ;  at  St. 
Michaels,  31,  39,  53 

Salmon,  58,  66,  118,  120,  12S,  156, 
158,  199,  278 

Saloons,  liquor,  in  Dawson,  100, 
107,  208 

Salvation  Army,  the,  120,  284 

Sand-flies,  62 

San  Francisco,  outfits  bought  in, 
I,  2 

Sarah,  the,  394,  396 

Scenery,  along  the  Yukon,  65,  72, 

76,  79.  92.  99.  39S,  402,  403.  405, 

431,   450;    at  Dawson,  115,  i8g, 

333.352  ;  at  El  Dorado,  175,  185 
Scows   on   the   Yukon,  399,  400, 

402,  413,  427 
Seattle.   19,   458,   474,   475  ;    Post- 

hitelligencer.  the,  iS,  360,  474 
Selkirk, 'Fort,  95,  96,372,  373 
Shallow  Lake,  449 
Sheep,  402,  423 
Sheep  Camp,  supper  at,  156,  157  ; 

story  of  lynching  at,  252-257 
Sitka,  45S,  460-463 
"  Siwash  "    dogs,  50,   65,    66,   68, 

71,  73.   78,   115.   116,   190,    224, 

226,  230,  261,  367,  437 
Sixty  Mile,  95 

Skaguay,  445,  456-45S  ;  Pass,  454 
Skookum  Creek,  173  ;  Gulch,  1S2, 

1S4,  299 
Sluice-boxes,    173,    175,    1S4,  295, 

369 
Smart,  James  A.,  153 
Smith,   "Soapy,"   story   of,   470, 

471 
Suipe,  28 


Snow,     in     Dawson,     365,     3S7 ; 

-capped  mountains,  14,  359 
"Sour  dough,"  235 
Sovereign,  the,  85,  87,  88 
Spring,    the    polluted,    in     West 

Dawson,  290,  291,  304,  320 
Squatters'     rights,    loS,   109,   113, 

273.  345.  354,  355,  369 
Stampedes,  133,  134,  151,  160 
Stars,  85,  239 

Stationery,  offers  for,  305,  320 
Stewart  River,  the,  362,  400 
Stickeen  River,  the,  472 
Storage  prices,  29S 
Stove,  oil-,  our,  116,  118,  12S,  210, 

231,  309;    wood-,   161,  231,  295, 

309,  315.  319.  326,  342,  366,  370, 

381 
Sulphur  Creek,  160,  199,  218,  234, 

242,  361 
Summit  Lake,  450 
Sun,  midnight,  the,  23,  24,  30,  33, 

37.  39.  42,  43.  52,  58^  86,  104 
Sunday,  observance  of,  ou  barge, 

64,  65,  78,  93  ;  in   Dawson,  162, 

214,  287,  288,339,  340 
Supplies,  wiuter,  disposal  of  209, 

298,  302,  304-306,  317,  324-326, 

328,  330,  333-340,  344 


Tagish  Lake,  435 

Tanana,  or  Nuklukyets,  77 

Tanana  River,  152,  408,  446 

Telephone,  the,  in  Dawson,  382, 
392 

Tent,  the  big,  9,  104,  112  et 
seq.  :  badly  erected,  113,  126, 
127,  147,  152,  161,  217;  decorat- 
ing, 128,  164;  curiosity  con- 
cerning, 116,  124,  137  ;  church 
services  in,  138,  144,  162,  165, 
193,  201,  214,  232,  234,  263,  268  ; 
collapse  of,  154,  155  ;  re-erected, 
15S,  161  ;  dinner  parties  in,  165, 
166,  194,  276  ;  loau  of  a  small, 
203,  220 ;  price  for,  363,  364 

Tents  on  the  trail,  171,  172,  175, 
176 

Theatres  in  Dawson,  106,  143, 
146,  14S,  215,  25S,  289,  291,  298, 
299,  357,  358,  360,  384 


Index 


485 


Thieves,  on  barge,  77,  78 ;  at 
Sheep  Camp,  252,  253,  257  ;  at 
Dawson,  239,  314,  339 

Thirty  Mile  River,  42S 

Tillamook,  the,  243,  355 

Tozikakat  River,  77 

Tramps,  239 

Transportation  companies,  treat- 
ment of  passengers  by,  17,  32  ; 
careless  methods  of,  102,  32S, 
334,  355,  3*55  ;  "lost  reliable, 
211,385. 

Trees,  varieties  of,  on  Upper  Yu- 
kon, 403 

Trout,  367 

Trunks,  price  received  for,  327, 
38S 

Turkey,  price  of,  taken  to  Daw- 
son,  38 

Turnips  grown  in  Alaska,  77,  SS, 
95.  235 

Typhoid  fever  in  Dawson,  79, 
'222,  29S,  359,  376,  3S2,  395 


Unalaska,  arrival  at,  13  ;  scenery 
of,  14,  15  ;  on  shore  at,  15-19 ; 
47 

V 

Veal,  136 

Vegetables  grown  in  Alaska,  67, 

88,  95,  171 
Victoria,  B.  C,  loS,  351,  474 
Victoria,  the.  81,  82.  85,  87,  92 
Violets  found  at  Unalaska,  1 7 

W 

Wages  for  labourers  in  Dawson, 
280,  2S5,  290,  303,  355 

War,  news,  as  received  in  Alaska, 
75,  96,  360,  413  ;  heroes,  pic- 
tures of,  164 

Weather  in  Alaska,  21,  43,  79,  87, 
92,  197,  261,  264,  295,  297,  303, 
30S,  309,  322,  327,  334,  342,  352, 
360,  362,  365,  376,  3S1,  3S7,  41S, 
424 


West  Dawson,  or  Dawson  Annex, 
104,  370  ;  we  become  squatters 
iu,  iiT,  et  scq.  ;  church  services 
in,  13S,  144,  162,  165,  193,  201, 
214,232,  234,  263,  26S ;  return 
to,  from  visit  to  mines,  190 ; 
permit  to  build  in,  242,  345,  354, 
355,  358;  first  funeral  in,  315- 
319;  view  from,  333;  the  lar- 
gest house  in,  321^351,  352  ;  the 
only  wash-tub  in,  381 

Wliccling,  the,  39,  43,  46,  48,  49, 
465 

Whiskey,  price  of,  on  the  Yukon, 
58,  78 

White  Horse  Caiion  Hotel,   the, 

435 
White   Horse    Rapids,    389,    391, 

431 
White    Pass,   the,    354 ;    crossing 

tbe,  439-457 
White  Pass  City,  or  Heney,  452 
White  River,  the,  77,  427 
Willie  Irving,  the,  373,  383,  3S6, 

Windows,  price    of,    iu    Dawson, 

381 
"Windy  Bill,"  the   mail-carrier, 

41,  42 

\' 

Yukon  River,  the,  17  ;  low  water 
of,  32,  33,  36;  river  steauiersof, 
25,  32,  34,  43,  45,  49,  66,  67,  Si, 
92,  215,  243,  373  t'l passim;  long 
trip  up,  54-99  ;  width  of,  93  ; 
strong  current  of,  42,  92,  104, 
239,  361,  366,  374  ;  no  stars  visi- 
ble in  ascending,  85  ;  vegetation 
of,  62,  63,  74,  88,  93  ;  foliage, 
402,  425;  boats  passed   on,  67, 

71,  73.  75,  399-403,413,  450;  ice 
beginning  to  form  in,  372,  373, 
382 

Yukon  Flats,  the.  Si,  S5-S7 

Yukon,  Fort,  85 


Zagoskiii,  Lieutenant,  71 
Zither,  the,  7,  194,  204,  214,  230 


BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL 


Camping  in  the  Canadian  Rockies 

An  Account  of  Camp  Life  in  the  Wilder  Parts  of  tiie  Canadian 
Rocky  Mountains,  together  with  a  Description  of  the 
Region  about  Banff,  Lake  Louise,  and  Ghicier,  and  a  Sketch 
of  the  Early  Explorations.  By  Walter  Dwight  Wilcox. 
With  25  full-page  photogravures,  and  many  text  illustra- 
tions from  photographs  by  the  author.  Second  edition, 
with  map.     Large  8°,  gilt  top,  $3.00. 

"  .Mr.  Wilcox's  work  will  be  a  treat  to  the  general  reader,  for  adventure, 
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writer  ami  the  verve  of  a  man  in  love  with  the  life  he  tells  about." — The 
Chicago  Eveiiiiv^  Post. 

Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

The  Story  of  a  Journey  to  the  Gold-Fields  of  .Alaska.  By 
Mary  E.  Hitchcock.  With  a  map  of  Alaska  and  over 
100  illustrations  from  photographs.     8°. 

The  volume  presents  the  record  of  a  journey  undertaken  in  the  summer 
of  lSg8  to  the  gold-fields  of  .-Maska.  Mrs.  Hitchcock's  journal  is  a  faithful 
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interesting  incidents.  The  volume  is  enriched  by  over  loo  illustrations,  and 
will  contain  an  authoritative  map  of  Alaska,  showing  the  trails  and  steam- 
boat routes  to  the  gold-fields. 

Alaska 

Its  History  and  Resources,  Gold-Fields,  Routes,  and  Scenery. 
By  Mixer  Bruce.  Second  edition,  revised  and  enlarged. 
With  62  illustrations  and  six  folding  maps.     8°. 

Mr.  Miner  Bruce  is  an  authority  on  Alaska,  having  travelled  for  ten 
years  in  the  territory  in  the  interest  of  the  government  and  also  in  connection 
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Mr.  Bruce's  volume  includes  a  brief  history  of  the  territory,  together 
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other  things,  minerals,  fur,  timber,  and  fish.  The  work  also  contains  a  full 
description  of  the  various  mining  camps  and  the  routes  thither.  Practical 
suggestions  are  given  which  will  prove  of  great  value  to  those  who  may  be 
planning  to  engage  in  prospecting,  and  also  to  those  who  may  wish  to  visit 
Alaska,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  marvellous  scenery  offered  by  its  mountains  and 
rivers,  its  glaciers  and  lakes,  and  the  interest  always  attaching  to  life  in 
mining  districts,  especially  when,  coupled  with  this,  there  is  opportunity  of 
studying  native  character  and  conditions. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS.  New  York  and  London 


BELLES=LETTRES 


Historic  Towns  of  New  England 

Edited  by  Lvman  I'.  Powell.  With  introduction  by  George 
P.  Morris.     With  160  illustrations.     8°,  gilt  top,  $3.50. 

Contents  :  Portland,  liy  Samuel  T.  Piclv.ird  :  Rutland,  by  Edwin 
D.  Mead;  Salem,  l>y  Cleurge  D.  Latimer;  Boston,  liy  'Ihtniias  Went- 
worth  Iligi^'insDii  and  Edward  Everett  Hale;  Cambridge,  liy  Samuel  A. 
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Some  Colonial   Homesteads 

And  Their  Stories.  ]Jy  Marion  Harlaxd.  Second  impres- 
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More  Colonial  Homesteads 

And  Their  Stories.  By  Marion  Harlaxd.  Fully  illustratetl. 
8°.      {^I II  press). 

Where  Ghosts  Walk 

The  Haunts  of  F;imiliar  Characters  in  History  and  Literature. 
By  Marion  Harland,  author  of  "Some  Colonial  Home- 
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riot.  Travel  of  this  kind  does  not  weary.  It  fascinates." — X<:ui  York 
Times. 

Little  Journeys  to  the  Homes  of 

Famous  Women  /    2  vols.,  illust.,        [    American  Authors         I    2  vols.,  illust., 

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